Burning Trash Becomes Main Source of Airborne Microplastics in Indonesia

Research findings by the Institute for Ecological Studies and Wetland Conservation (Ecoton) in 18 Indonesian cities indicate that waste burning activities will be the primary source of polymer-type microplastics by 2025. The proportion of its detection reached 55.6% of the total cities studied.

In its findings, the burning process produces polyolefin-type microplastic particles, including Polyethylene (PE), Polypropylene (PP), polybutene (PB), PTFE, and polyester, which are distributed into the air through soot and light ash.

"These findings indicate that open waste burning practices remain a serious problem in Indonesian urban areas, especially in densely populated regions, industrial zones, and residential environments that lack adequate waste management systems," Ecoton stated on its website.

Household activities and the use of single-use plastic packaging also contribute significantly, with findings of 33.3% in the analyzed cities. This can be observed in cities with high plastic product consumption, such as Jakarta, Denpasar, and Sidoarjo.

"This demonstrates a direct link between public consumption behavior and the increased microplastic load in the atmosphere," Ecoton said.

Furthermore, industrial and construction activities were found to account for up to 27.8%. Ecoton noted that these findings are prevalent in cities with large industrial zones, such as Bandung, Surabaya, Palembang, and Pontianak. The detailed activities include the use of synthetic resins, polymer-based paints, and plastic-containing building materials.

Other sources include laundry and textiles, transportation, tourism activities, and agriculture. The complete list is as follows:

• Waste burning: 55.6%
• Household and plastic use: 33.3%
• Industry and construction: 27.8%
• Domestic laundry and textiles: 22.2%
• Transportation (tire friction, asphalt, and commuter train rails): 16.7%
• Tourism activities: 11.1%
• Fisheries and coastal areas: 5.6%
• Agriculture: 5.6%.