The Orange Troop from the Coastal Cleanliness Officer Unit of the Seribu Islands Environment Office unloads waste transported from Tidung Island at Kali Adem pier in Muara Angke, Jakarta, on Thursday (7/9). After cleaning waste along Tidung Island’s coast for three days, the troop collected 45 cubic meters of sea waste.
Possibly there are those who think that a report run by this daily on marine pollution, Monday (11/9), was made up.
However, reading the above report convinces us that this problem exists, and even demands an immediate solution. Its scope is serious and its impact is frightening. The main pollutants mentioned in the report are heavy metals and plastics.
To paraphrase, what is meant by heavy metals is mercury, especially mercury originating from small-scale gold mines. Once this pollutant enters the ocean, it is consumed by marine micro biota. Later,the small creatures are consumed by clams, shrimps, and other small marine animals before these are eaten by fishes in the food chain.
The Mediscus Foundation has said that marine pollution by mercury accumulates by up to 10,000 times in bigger predator fish. If we – who are advised to consume seafood – eat fish containing mercury, the dangerous substance will accumulate in our bodies. Its negative impact on our health can emerge five to 10 years later, affecting our psychological health and nervous system, as well as other impacts.
Besides mercury, the Indonesian seas are also highly polluted by plastics, starting from the big to small, and up to very small plastics. Indonesia is ranked second after China as the biggest marine polluter by plastic. Like mercury, the plastic waste enters the marine food chain. This can be seen in the fish and clams on sale at Makassar’s biggest fish auction center. The finding has been exposed to the international community through the British scientific journal, Nature.
Aside from absorbing toxic compounds, plastics also easily bind toxic pollutants, such as pesticides and heavy metals. These pollutants are known to cause cancer (carcinogens), genetic mutations, and embryonic damage.
The impact of our contaminated marine products is very damaging: Most of our marine exports are rejected by the European Union and the United States because of heavy metal contamination and the presence of pathogenic microbes, histamine residues and veterinary medicines.
We agree with the experts that besides causing commercial losses, we also suffer losses from the medical costs that have to be borne by the public, who is, ironically, being encouraged to consume fish and other marine products.
No less worrying is that marine pollution by heavy metal and plastics also harms the environment. Therefore, it is reasonable that we highlight the coverage by this daily so that all parties cannot remain ignorant of the urgent problem. The government cannot stand alone; the public and industry also bear great responsibility.
