Jakarta's 'Rubbish Island' Finally Cleared After Three-Day Operation

The sight of a ‘rubbish island’ on the coast of North Jakarta has drawn public attention. After three days of handling, the ‘rubbish island’ has finally been cleared. DKI Jakarta Governor Pramono Anung stated that the ‘rubbish island’ on the coast of North Jakarta, specifically at the Muara Adem shore in Muara Angke, Penjaringan, has been removed. He said the ‘rubbish island’ formed because it was carried by currents and accumulated. “Meanwhile, the one in Muara Angke became a rubbish island due to sedimentation,” Pramono told reporters at DKI Jakarta City Hall on Friday (5/6/2026). The cleaning was carried out by multiple parties over three consecutive days. The accumulated rubbish was cleaned manually by a joint team of officers before finally being carried away by waste transport vessels. “We have been dredging for three days. Is it finished? It is finished,” said Pram, his nickname. The accumulation of rubbish on the northern coast of Jakarta is a persistent problem. Before the ‘rubbish island’ went viral, rubbish accumulations had occurred in several areas such as Cilincing, the mangrove forest coastal area of Muara Angke, and the coast of Marunda. Hundreds of tons of waste have been transported from these locations. However, littering behaviour is suspected of triggering new accumulations, including forming the ‘rubbish island’. The existence of the ‘rubbish island’ resurfaced in the public eye after a video of it went viral on social media. The expanse of waste is located about 600-700 metres from the shore. The sedimentation of this rubbish is suspected to have formed over a period longer than a day or a week. It is estimated that the rubbish was carried by currents and then accumulated over a long time, eventually forming a ‘rubbish island’. Local fishermen also complained about this accumulation because it often gets tangled in their boat propellers when they go out to sea. Consequently, fishing activities are disrupted, and operational costs increase. The rubbish accumulation forming an island is suspected to be caused by river and sea currents before piling up and rising from the coastal sea surface to resemble land. A joint team of officers was deployed to clear the ‘rubbish island’. A total of 70 joint personnel were involved. “This activity is carried out collaboratively, involving around 70 joint personnel,” stated the Water Body Waste Handling Unit (UPS) of the DKI Jakarta Environmental Agency (DLH) via the Instagram account @upsbadanairdlhdki on Thursday (4/6). The dozens of personnel consisted of the Penjaringan District Water Body UPS, the Seribu Islands Administrative Regency Environmental Sub-Department, the Penjaringan District Environmental Service Unit, and personnel from the Metro Jaya Police’s Water and Air Police. The joint clean-up team cleared the ‘rubbish island’ as a follow-up to public complaints submitted through social media channels. The rubbish accumulation is located on Sediment Island, on the coast of the Muara Kali Adem estuary, Penjaringan District, North Jakarta. “Coastal locations and sediment areas are among the points vulnerable to becoming gathering spots for waste sent from the sea and water bodies. This condition requires special handling and cooperation from various parties so that the waste can be immediately transported and does not cause a wider impact on the coastal environment,” the statement explained.