Beach litter: an increasing and changing problem for Indonesia

Strand line litter levels on the shorelines of 23 of the Thousand Islands, Jakarta Bay, Indonesia, were measured by 99×50 m transects. Nearly 34 000 items of litter, belonging to 11 categories, were counted. Litter levels have almost doubled on islands close inshore, and are more than five times higher on the offshore islands, since a similar survey in 1985. Polystyrene blocks, plastic bags and discarded footwear made up 80% of the items counted. Jakarta is still considered to be the source of most of the litter, though litter which is self-generated by tourist activities is more important than before. Social developments in Indonesian lifestyles have resulted in the appearance of litter items not seen in the 1985 survey. Plastic bags probably carpet the bottom of inshore Jakarta Bay. A comparison of the Thousand Islands' litter problems with those elsewhere in Indonesia, in Ghana and around the UK was made, following similar surveys in an additional 16 sites.