• Home
  • Articles
  • The Negative Impact of Plastic Waste as a Threat to Indonesia’s Marine Ecosystems

The Negative Impact of Plastic Waste as a Threat to Indonesia’s Marine Ecosystems

26 Oct 2025

Source: https://share.google/images/6dlVyIM8O35ykDai4

Indonesia is known as a maritime country with one of the richest marine ecosystems in the world. From its beautiful coral reefs to the wide variety of fish species that live and reproduce in its waters, the Indonesian sea is a vital source of life for many communities. Unfortunately, this beauty and abundance are being damaged by a seemingly small yet widespread habit among Indonesians such as throwing trash into the open sea, especially plastic waste.

According to data from Kementerian Lingkungan Hidup dan Kehutanan (KLHK), Indonesia generated around 69.7 million tons of waste in 2023. This is deeply concerning because about one third of that waste ended up in places where it shouldn’t be like rivers and oceans therefore making it difficult to manage and leading to severe marine pollution. 

The massive use of plastic doesn’t only cause water pollution but also produces plastic waste made of polymers that take hundreds of years to decompose. This leads to the accumulation of plastic waste in the environment over a long period. Moreover, plastic waste creates other problems, such as the formation of microplastics in the water. These microplastics can replace the role of phytoplankton and zooplankton, disrupting the marine ecosystem. Fish and other sea creatures often mistake microplastics for plankton, which then affects the food chain and can even threaten human health through the consumption of seafood.

Beyond these environmental issues, plastic waste also brings several other negative impacts on the marine ecosystem: 

  • Endanger Fisherman

Plastic is strong and flexible, but its materials can pollute the water and cause massive waste buildup in the sea. This can interfere with fishermen’s activities when their boats get caught in piles of plastic. Since plastic takes hundreds of years to decompose, millions of tons have already accumulated on the seabed, damaging marine habitats.

  • Cost a Lot of Money

When waste becomes a serious issue, proper management is essential but it often requires a lot of money and effort. That’s why it’s important for us to start reducing plastic use and managing our own waste at the local level. Small, consistent habits can lead to big changes over time.

  • Threatening Marine Biodiversity

Marine animals such as turtles, seabirds, and marine mammals often become entangled in or ingest plastic, mistaking it for food. Many of them die due to blocked digestive tracts or impaired breathing. In the long run, this threatens the sustainability of marine species populations and reduces Indonesia’s biodiversity. The long term impact can damage ecosystems and human life itself. 

  • Plastic Poisoning in Marine Animals

Oftentimes, plastic waste is found in pieces in the ocean and on the sea surface. This situation frequently affects various marine creatures, such as turtles, sea turtles, and small fish. They often mistake plastic waste for food. Transparent plastic, for example, resembles jellyfish, causing marine animals to accidentally swallow it and suffer from digestive problems that can lead to death.

  • Food Chain Changes

When small organisms in the ocean eat plastic particles, toxic substances from the plastic accumulate in their bodies. Then, when larger fish eat these small organisms, the toxins move up the food chain. Ultimately, humans who eat fish are also negatively affected.

Plastic waste has become one of the biggest threats to Indonesia’s marine ecosystem. Its long lasting nature and wide reaching effects not to only harm marine life but also disrupt human activities and the balance of nature. From damaging coral reefs and endangering fishermen to disturbing tourism appeal and triggering natural disasters, the consequences of plastic pollution are far too serious to ignore. Protecting our oceans requires more than just awareness, it demands real action. Both the government and society must work together to reduce plastic use, improve waste management, and build stronger environmental responsibility. Small changes everyday, like saying no to single use plastics and properly sorting waste, can create a big impact in the future. If we start doing now, we can maintain the beauty of our seas and ensure a cleaner, healthier ocean for future generations.

References

Kelompok 2 CP H&E - KMG 25'26