Garment industry major pollutant in Bali

Garment industry major pollutant in Bali

DENPASAR, Bali (ANTARA): The lucrative garment and handicraft industries, as well as other small-scale enterprises, have made Bali prosperous, but they have also created a serious environmental problem for this tourist destination.

Many garment and handicraft producers have been dumping their waste into local rivers.

I Gde Nurjaya, the head of the public relations department of the Bali provincial government, stated recently that there were many small-scale garment producers operating along the Badung, Mati and Teba rivers in Denpasar.

"Their business operation has badly affected the environmental condition of these rivers," said Nurjaya.

The rivers have been heavily polluted because waste has been dumped into their waters.

To deal with this problem, the Bali provincial government and the Badung municipal authority have recently launched a small- scale waste management project.

"The water from these rivers has been used as the main source of tap water for most of Denpasar's residents," he explained.

The government has also set up a cooperation with members of subak, a community-based irrigation organization, in the implementation of the project. Subak utilizes the river water for agricultural purposes.

"We will impose strong sanctions against those violating regulations. Despite warnings, these businessmen are still dumping waste in the river."

The dyeing of raw material for the garment industry in the areas of Badung regency as well as the city of Denpasar is generally done on a small-scale basis by leasing a piece of land near the river bank.

A lot of garment producers operating in Denpasar and Badung regency do not process their waste properly. They usually carry out the dyeing and coloring process unprofessionally and illegally along the river banks.

The location for dyeing and coloring is temporary. Many producers rent a plot of land along a river and then move to another site.

Nurjaya explained the government would tighten the regulations on waste management in order to prohibit the garment industry from polluting the river.

The Badung river, for instance, will be designated as a Wisata Tirta (a water recreational site).

The government has been using the water from the Badung river as a source of drinking water for Denpasar, Nusa Dua and Kuta residents.

"So it is hoped that the water from the Badung is protected from pollution, including the waste caused by dyeing material for the garment industry and from households," he said.

Despite the regulations and strong sanctions, violations are still occurring.