5 MIN READ
05-08-2026
Cleaning the Temuguruh River, One Sack at a Time
Dika, 4ocean Jembrana Content Correspondent
Before the sun fully rose over East Java, the 4ocean Java Riverboom Team was already preparing for another cleanup mission at the Temuguruh River. Equipment was checked carefully at the base, from cleanup tools to personal protective gear, ensuring every crew member was ready before heading to the river.
When the team arrived at Temuguruh Riverboom, the surface of the water looked calm. But beneath that calm current, the trap net installed in the river told a different story. Overnight, the flow had carried in a heavy buildup of debris. Plastic packaging, bottles, and tangled branches had piled up against the net, placing another burden on the river’s ecosystem.
Without wasting time, the crew stepped into the water and began clearing the accumulated waste. Some crew members focused on removing trash directly from the net, while others combed through the surrounding rocks where debris had become trapped. Piece by piece, the waste was separated and packed into sacks before being carried up to the riverbank.
The uneven and rocky riverbed made every movement more difficult. Crew members had to move cautiously to avoid slipping while carrying heavy sacks through the current. Despite the challenging conditions, the team worked steadily throughout the day, determined to restore the flow of the river.
As the cleanup continued, rows of filled sacks began lining the riverbank. Each sack represented waste that would no longer continue downstream toward larger waterways and eventually the ocean. Once the cleanup was complete, the crew transported the sacks to a weighing point where every bag was carefully recorded before being loaded onto a 4ocean pickup truck for further sorting.
By the end of the operation, the Riverboom Team had collected 271.2 pounds of plastic waste across 15 sacks. Most of the debris consisted of plastic bottles, food packaging, and other single-use plastics that can remain in nature for hundreds of years if left unmanaged.
For crew member Rendy Yoga Pratama, the cleanup was about far more than appearances. “Most of this waste is plastic, which takes up to 400 years to completely decompose. This means that the beverage bottles we throw away today will remain in nature, even for future generations. If we let them continue to accumulate in rivers, not only will they clog waterways and cause flooding, but the microplastic particles will also enter the food chain, ultimately consuming us. Therefore, this cleanup is not just about cleaning up the landscape, but also an effort to protect our health and our shared future.”
The Temuguruh River is only one of many waterways facing this challenge. Across Indonesia, rivers continue to carry large amounts of plastic waste toward the ocean every day. What often begins as small acts of littering eventually becomes a larger environmental crisis affecting ecosystems, communities, and marine life.
For the 4ocean Java Riverboom Team, every cleanup is both a direct action and a reminder. Rivers should be lifelines that support ecosystems and surrounding communities, not channels for pollution. And with every sack of waste removed from the water, there is hope that one day these river nets will no longer be filled with trash, but with clean flowing water once again.
