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.