BADUNG, DEWATA.NEWS – Plastic waste has begun accumulating along several beaches in Badung Regency, Bali, replacing earlier waves of driftwood debris brought ashore by the west monsoon.
Local authorities say the volume of marine debris has slightly decreased compared with previous weeks, but plastic waste is now dominating the shoreline in several coastal areas.
Data collected on Thursday (March 12, 2026) shows that around 360 tons of marine debris were transported to temporary collection points (stop over facilities) over the past week.
Most of the waste came from Kedonganan Beach, which accounted for 282 tons, followed by Jimbaran Beach with 54 tons and Kuta Beach with 24 tons.
Head of the Waste and Hazardous Materials Management Division at the Badung Environmental and Sanitation Agency (DLHK), A.A. Gede Agung Dalem, confirmed that the overall volume of incoming debris has decreased compared with February.
“Usually the situation improves around April. Right now the average is still around 50 tons per day, but compared with February the amount has already dropped significantly,” Dalem said.
Despite the decline, plastic waste has become the most common type of debris found along the beaches.
Kedonganan Beach has recorded the largest accumulation in recent days, requiring dozens of trucks to transport the collected waste.
“Today plastic waste in Kedonganan filled about 29 truckloads that were transported to the Balawista Kedonganan temporary storage site,” he explained.
Cleanup crews from the Badung Environmental Agency continue working along the coastline to remove debris carried by ocean currents.
In addition to beach areas, cleaning operations are also focused on river mouths, where waste from inland areas is often carried into the sea during heavy rainfall.
“We are still cleaning waste that flows through river mouths following recent rainfall,” Dalem said.
Changing Pattern of Marine Debris
Authorities have also observed changes in the seasonal pattern of marine debris appearing along Bali’s coastline.
Dalem explained that heavier rainfall in recent weeks has increased river flow, carrying large volumes of waste from inland areas into the ocean before currents push it back onto coastal beaches.
This phenomenon appears to be shifting earlier compared with previous years.
“In the past, drifting debris usually began arriving around December. Now we are already seeing it regularly along upstream coastal areas such as Cemagi and Berawa,” he said.
Officials expect the situation to gradually improve as seasonal weather patterns shift in the coming months.