JAKARTA, June 13 (Xinhua) -- Indonesia's Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries has been preparing an incentive and disincentive scheme for regional governments as part of a national waste management policy aimed at preventing marine pollution, a senior official has said.
"Regions that still have waste leaking into the sea will receive disincentives. Those who have successfully managed their waste properly will be given incentives and awards," the ministry's Director General of Marine Spatial Management Koswara said at a recent press conference.
Indonesia is estimated to see around 20 million tons of waste entering the sea each year. Koswara said the issue could not be solved by relying solely on the state budget, but required cooperation between local governments, businesses, and communities.
Koswara emphasized that the condition of the sea is highly influenced by land-based activities, noting that plastic waste polluting the ocean originates from human activity.
"Waste does not appear in the sea by itself. We are the ones producing plastic waste, so we must manage it, reduce it, and ensure it does not end up in the ocean," he said. ■
