5 MIN READ
09-28-2025
Smiling Rocks Stands with 4ocean to Protect the Yosomulyo River
Dika, 4ocean Indonesia Content Correspondent
The fight against ocean plastic doesn’t begin at the shoreline: it starts far inland, where rivers carry waste to the sea. This week, the Riverboom 4ocean Java teams carried out a major cleanup at the Yosomulyo River in Gambiran District, South Banyuwangi. The operation was made possible with the support of Smiling Rocks, whose partnership helps empower our crews to scale their efforts and take on even bigger challenges in the fight against plastic pollution.
Before heading out, the crews gathered nets, iron rakes, sacks, ropes, and protective gear for the operation. The site was 23 kilometers from the 4ocean Java base, and when the team arrived, they were met with a sobering sight: piles of single-use plastics, foam packaging, bottles, bags, and wrappers collected around the dam.
A short strategy meeting set the tone for the day. The captains decided to install the net just downstream of the dam so that once the area was cleared, the new system would immediately begin capturing waste carried by the current. With the plan in place, both teams got to work. Hours of effort followed as sack after sack of debris was hauled out of the river. By the time the cleanup wrapped up, the new net had already proven effective, catching bottles, foam, and wrappers from its very first day in operation.
At the end of the operation, the results spoke volumes: Riverboom Team 1 and Team 2 managed to fill 54 sacks in just one day, removing 1,066.7 pounds of plastic waste, 454.9 pounds of mixed waste, and 138.7 pounds of non-plastic waste. Altogether, their efforts cleared an impressive 1,774.9 pounds of trash from the Yosomulyo River.
Despite the challenges, such as the strong river current and the painstaking task of collecting microplastics, the crew’s persistence paid off. Their success demonstrated the power of collective effort, strengthened by the support of Smiling Rocks, whose partnership helps ensure our teams are equipped and ready to protect critical waterways like Yosomulyo.
The Yosomulyo River is more than just a waterway. It sustains surrounding rice fields and plantations and provides vital irrigation that supports the community’s agricultural way of life. Protecting it is not only about reducing plastic pollution but also about ensuring food security and the health of future generations.
“Keeping our rivers clean is a shared responsibility,” said Captain Saiful Kirom. “Rivers don’t belong to just one person or one group, they are a source of life that must be protected by everyone. A clean river brings countless benefits and gives hope for the generations to come.”
Thanks to the continued support of Smiling Rocks, the Riverboom 4ocean Java teams are able to carry out impactful cleanups like this one. While our crews are the hands on the ground, Smiling Rocks’ partnership is what makes sustained, long-term impact possible. Together, we’re sending a clear message: protecting rivers is protecting oceans, and protecting oceans is protecting life itself.
This operation is just one of many steps forward, but its impact is lasting. The newly installed net will continue intercepting waste day after day, and the lessons shared with the local community will ripple outward, inspiring pride and action long after the cleanup ends.
