5 MIN READ
04-14-2026
Pancur Beach Cleanup with Baby Bathwater Institute
Dika, 4ocean Jembrana Content Correspondent
Two 4ocean Java beach teams returned to Pancur Beach with a shared mission to restore the coastline. Supported by Baby Bathwater Institute, this joint cleanup highlighted both the beauty and the vulnerability of one of Alas Purwo National Park’s most well known shores. As a protected tourist destination, Pancur Beach should remain pristine, but what the team encountered told a different story.
Upon arrival, the shoreline was scattered with plastic and organic waste. The contrast was immediate. White sand and open ocean on one side, debris carried in by currents and human activity on the other. Without hesitation, the team began the cleanup, moving quickly to cover as much ground as possible.
With coordination between both teams, sacks began to fill at a steady pace. Larger debris was collected first, followed by more difficult material embedded in the sand. Microplastics proved to be one of the biggest challenges of the day. Mixed into the shoreline, these small fragments slowed the process and required patience to remove.
Despite the conditions, the team maintained momentum. Over the course of the cleanup, they collected 102 sacks of waste, totaling 1,399.2 pounds, all consisting of plastic debris. Each filled sack was carried across a considerable distance from the cleanup zone to the weighing area, requiring strong teamwork and endurance.
“The experiences I’ve had in different locations with this team make me incredibly proud,” said team captain Darys Eka Setiawan. “What we do together has a real impact on our future. I believe that with hard work and determination, a life free from plastic waste is possible.”
Transporting the waste presented another obstacle. The distance between the cleanup area and vehicle access meant every sack had to be carried manually. With over a hundred sacks collected, the effort demanded coordination and persistence from every crew member.
Beyond the numbers, this cleanup tells a larger story. Even within a national park, far from dense urban centers, plastic waste continues to arrive. Rivers carry it downstream, and ocean currents return it to shore. Pancur Beach is not the source of the problem, but it has become one of its endpoints.
This effort is a reminder that protecting the ocean does not begin at the coastline. It begins upstream, in daily habits and choices. Reducing plastic use, improving waste management, and taking responsibility for what we discard all play a role in preventing scenes like this.
Through continued collaboration and consistent action, the 4ocean Java team proves that change is possible. One sack at a time, one cleanup at a time, the path toward a cleaner ocean becomes clearer.
