Throwback to Bali – 1 year ago.

These photos show one of Bali’s cleaner beaches, a reminder that despite the island’s beautiful nature, the fight against plastic pollution knows no borders.

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Just like our colleague Max Alexandrin with his clean-ups in Berlin: https://lnkd.in/djcFrGSw our flustix - Rethink Plastics Ocean Guards are also active beyond work, raising awareness and taking action wherever possible – even on holiday.

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Bali remains one of the world’s most attractive tourism destinations – yet the contrast is striking: pristine nature on one side, and beaches covered in knee-deep layers of plastic waste on the other, especially around the capital, Kuta, Legian and Seminyak.

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The issue gained international attention thanks to the inspiring commitment of two young students, Melati and Isabel Wijsen. They launched the youth movement Bye Bye Plastic Bags in Bali when they were just 12 and 10 years old to end the island’s dependence on single-use plastics. They managed to mobilise schools, communities, and politicians alike while sparking a global youth-led movement for cleaner oceans and responsible consumption.

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Plastic pollution remains one of Bali’s toughest environmental challenges. Every monsoon season, thousands of tonnes of waste are washed onto beaches like Kuta and Seminyak, while around 3,400 tonnes of rubbish are generated daily on the island — with only 17 % of plastic waste being recyclable. Open burning, including during religious ceremonies, continues to release toxic fumes and pollute Bali’s air, soil, and waters. These practices not only produce foul odours but also contribute to severe air pollution and further contaminate Bali’s soil, rivers, and marine ecosystems.

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In recent years, however, real progress has begun to take shape:

• River-barrier systems now intercept tonnes of plastic before it reaches the ocean.
• 96 % of Bali’s 1,500 villages have adopted their own plastic restrictions.
• Since April 2025, the island has banned plastic water bottles under one litre, pushing for lasting circular change.

Let’s not look away – and keep the conversation going!

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At flustix - Rethink Plastics, we believe that awareness and small actions matter – wherever we are. True sustainability starts with transparency and conscious design – reducing, reusing, and rethinking from the very beginning. Because protecting our planet doesn’t stop at the workplace or the shoreline.

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Sources:

https://lnkd.in/drXkNQE3

https://lnkd.in/dUHVsscj

https://lnkd.in/dh75rmTK

World Cleanup Day Global Plastic Bank Sungai Watch

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#recycling #plasticpollution #LessPlastics #CircularEconomy #Sustainability