New Film Warns Indonesians of Serious Health Risk Posed By Plastic

Jurnalis: Rifan Anshory

Kabar Baru, Jakarta – Indonesians have today been warned over the serious risk plastic poses to human health across the country. British actor, Stephen Fry has voiced an animation launched today by social enterprise Common Seas Indonesia. The actor and broadcaster said the presence of plastic particles in blood is of particular concern.

The video follows globally recognized research it commissioned which, earlier this year, showed microplastics have entered the blood of almost 8-in-10 humans.

The animation highlights how clothes, paints, toys, and packaging all contain plastic which enters our air, food, and water, and, ultimately, the human body.

Common Seas is investigating the health effects of plastic particles in our blood. It is to learn what can be done to reduce this harm.

Mr. Fry said in the film: “There’s something you should know about plastic. It is in your blood. And mine. And everyone’s. It shouldn’t be. But it is. How did it get there? Just look around you”.

“Your clothes, paints, toys, and packaging – it is all plastic. It breaks down through wear. It enters our air, our food, our water”.

“So while it’s shocking, it’s no surprise plastic is getting inside you”.

Mr. Fry added: “As it travels around your body, does plastic accumulate? Cause inflammation? Host pathogens and harmful chemicals? We think it could. So do many scientists”.

“Plastic is a threat to human health. So let’s stop the flow of plastics into our seas, into our bodies, and our blood.”

Common Seas is working to reduce the flow of plastic waste that is having a detrimental impact on communities across Indonesia. Similarly, Common Seas is supporting the Indonesian Government to deliver its National Action Plan.

Our focus is on dramatically reducing the use of single-use diapers, which currently make up 50 percent of the plastic waste found in local waterways. The rivers in East Java are overflowing with plastic waste, which is affecting the health and livelihoods of millions of people.

Indonesia is home to two of the world’s most polluted rivers. The problem is getting worse: more than 80 percent of the country’s cities will run out of landfill space within the next three years.

In response, the Government has committed to reducing plastic and other marine pollution by 70 percent by 2025.

Indonesians concerned about the health risk of plastic are encouraged to join the more than 60,000 people who have signed the organization’s international petition.

Common Seas Indonesia COO Celia Siura said: “Through our work along the Brantas river, we see first-hand the environmental, social, and economic devastation caused by the flow of plastic into our waterways.

“This includes 1.5 million single-use diapers entering the Brantas every day. This animation highlights how this plastic waste can break down and enter our water supply and our blood.”

Common Seas CEO Jo Royle said: “We have a right to know what all this plastic is doing to our bodies. We know people are concerned about the news that plastic is in their blood and they want to know more.

“We already know that microplastics can cause an inflammatory response, cross into placentas and accumulate in our organs. As our world fills up with more and more plastic, our exposure also increases. How much more can our planet and our bodies take?

“We urgently need to reduce our exposure to plastics and we need our leaders and businesses to significantly reduce plastic production by investing in plastic alternatives and reuse systems. It is critical that we, as citizens, hold government and industry to account. It is their responsibility to protect us and our world from harm.”

Common Seas:

– Common Seas is a social enterprise tackling the plastic crisis by driving new policy, investing in the circular economy, and catalyzing a cultural shift in how we make, use and dispose of plastic.

– Common Seas’ mission is to quickly and significantly reduce the amount of plastic produced and stop it from polluting our ocean and our bodies.

– Common Seas works globally and has on-the-ground teams in the UK, Greece, Indonesia, and the Maldives. For example, in East Java, the team has founded a reusable diaper enterprise with local mothers to stop the flow of single-use diapers into the Brantas River.

– Around the world, Common Seas supports governments to set and deliver ambitious policies that stop plastic leakage into the ocean. For example, the organization helped the Maldivian Government establish and start delivering a pioneering plastic phase-out commitment.

– Through its education program, Common Seas supports educators to inspire and equip the next generation to solve the marine plastic challenge. While helping schools become plastic waste-free, Common Seas develops and scales practical tools to help businesses understand. Hence, it is also to reduce their plastic footprint while transitioning into the circular economy.