An ambitious plan to rid a tourist hotspot of plastic waste is gaining ground after officials announced new, tougher provisions for polluters.
The Indonesian island of Bali attracts millions of visitors each year, but, like the rest of the nation, it struggles to handle huge volumes of plastic waste. According to the World Bank, Indonesia produces almost 8 million tons of plastic waste each year, with most of it having been improperly disposed of. Much of that gigantic volume of trash ends up in the country's rivers and coastline, with disastrous effects on local wildlife.
Accordingly, the authorities are making moves to combat this issue. According to the Bali Sun, Bali's governor, Wayan Koster, announced a bold plan to rid the island of waste by 2027. The plan, titled the Bali Waste Clean Up Movement, was officially launched in April 2025. In its latest round of restrictions, small plastic bottles, or any container holding less than a liter, have been banned entirely.
In addition, the local government has prohibited plastic from government institutions and schools, calling for teachers and education officials to set a good example for younger people.
"We hope that this policy will be implemented responsibly by all parties involved," the regional secretary of the province, Dewa Made Indra, told Nation of Change.
The new measures come after an earlier ban on plastic bags that was introduced during Governor Koster's first term. That initiative was eventually adopted by other cities, including the capital, Jakarta, per the South China Morning Post.
While the new initiatives introduced by Bali are the first of their kind in Indonesia, other popular tourist destinations worldwide have taken their own steps to safeguard their beauty.
For example, the Norwegian government announced limits on the size of ships permitted to enter the waters around Svalbard. Additionally, Paris controversially banned most cars from its city center in 2024. Despite the pushback, the improvements in its air quality have been stunning. New York City's hotels no longer stock small plastic toiletries after a law came into effect in 2025.
Effective legislation to combat plastic waste is critical, but it's only one part of the equation. It's equally important for individuals to take ownership of their recycling choices and to ditch single-use plastics.
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