5 MIN READ
05-26-2026
Cleaning Santen Island Beach One Sack at a Time
Dika, 4ocean Jembrana Content Correspondent
Early in the morning, the 4ocean Java Beach Team set out for another cleanup mission at Santen Island Beach, a coastal area increasingly affected by plastic pollution washing onto its shores. While the beach remains a popular destination known for its ocean views and coastal scenery, growing amounts of debris continue to threaten the surrounding ecosystem.
The waste arriving at Santen Beach comes from multiple sources. Some is left behind by visitors, while much of it is carried downstream from nearby river estuaries before eventually reaching the coastline. Plastic bags, bottles, foam, sandals, cans, and other debris now regularly accumulate along the shore, especially after changes in tides and river flow.
The journey to Santen Island Beach takes approximately one hour from the 4ocean Java base. Because parts of the location are only accessible by motorcycle, the crew transported cleanup equipment including sacks, ropes, cutters, and personal protective gear using motorcycles before reaching the site.
Upon arrival, the team gathered for a short briefing led by the captain before beginning the cleanup. Working together along the shoreline, crew members carefully collected debris piece by piece and filled sack after sack with waste scattered across the beach.
The cleanup quickly became physically demanding. Much of the plastic waste had mixed deeply with sand, forcing the team to separate debris by hand before placing it into the sacks. This slowed the process significantly and required additional time and patience from every crew member.
As the hours passed, dozens of filled sacks began piling up near the weighing point. The evacuation process presented another challenge, as the cleanup sacks first had to be transported by motorcycle from the beach to an area accessible by pickup truck.
By the end of the cleanup, the team had removed a total of 1,689.1 pounds of waste from Santen Beach, including 974.7 pounds of plastic waste, 564.5 pounds of mixed waste, and 149.9 pounds of non-plastic debris spread across 52 sacks.
The waste collected included plastic bags, plastic bottles, foam, plastic cups, sandals, bags, shoes, glass bottles, bamboo, wood, and other debris that had become embedded along the coastline.
For crew member Ferda Perdana Utama, the experience served as another reminder of the growing impact plastic pollution has on marine ecosystems. “Today we learned that cleaning waste along the coastline is not only about picking up plastic trash, but also about protecting and preserving the ocean from real threats. We realize that this problem cannot be solved in a short time. However, we believe that with strong spirit and consistency, the 4ocean Java Team will create meaningful change and make a real difference for future generations.”
The cleanup at Santen Beach reflects a larger issue facing many coastal regions across Indonesia. Waste pollution no longer affects only the appearance of beaches. It directly threatens marine life, damages ecosystems, and impacts communities that depend on healthy oceans for tourism, fisheries, and daily life.
Plastic waste can trap animals, contaminate habitats, and eventually break down into microplastics that spread throughout the food chain. What washes ashore today may remain in the environment for decades if left unmanaged.
For the 4ocean Java Team, every cleanup operation is about more than removing trash from the coastline. It is also about encouraging greater awareness and responsibility within surrounding communities.
Each sack removed from Santen Beach represents one more step toward protecting the ocean, preserving coastal ecosystems, and creating a cleaner future for the next generation.
