Beware of microplastics carried by rain in Jakarta

Jakarta – Dangerous microplastic particles have been found in rainwater in Jakarta. This finding is a warning that plastic pollution can also pollute the atmosphere. So how dangerous are these microplastic particles? Research findings from the National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN). This research has been carried out by BRIN since 2022. Scroll TO CONTINUE CONTENT BRIN researcher Muhammad Reza Cordova said the results of this research show the presence of microplastics in every rainwater sample in Jakarta. He said the microscopic plastic particles are formed from the degradation of plastic waste floating in the air due to human activities. “These microplastics come from synthetic clothing fibers, vehicle and tire dust, remnants of burning plastic waste, as well as plastic degradation in open spaces,” says Reza, quoted on the official BRIN website, Saturday (18/10/2025). Reza explained that the microplastics found were generally in the form of synthetic fibers and small plastic fragments. Especially polymers, such as polyester, nylon, polyethylene, polypropylene and polybutadiene from vehicle tires. He said that researchers found an average of about 15 microplastic particles per square meter per day in rain samples in the coastal areas of Jakarta. According to him, this phenomenon occurs because the plastic cycle has now reached the atmosphere. Can be inhaled and enter the body. Reza said that microplastics can be lifted into the air by road dust, burning smoke and industrial activities and carried by the wind until they fall back with the rain. This process is known as atmospheric microplastic deposition. “The plastic cycle doesn’t stop in the ocean. It goes up into the air, moves around with the wind, and then comes back down to earth through rain,” he said. Reza said that this finding also raises concerns because the microplastic particles were very small. In fact, he said, its size is finer than ordinary dust, so it can be inhaled by people or enter the body through water and food. Apart from that, plastics also contain toxic additives such as phthalates, bisphenol A (BPA) and heavy metals that can be released into the environment when broken down into micro or nano particles. In the air, these particles can also bind other pollutants, such as aromatic hydrocarbons from vehicle exhaust. “What is toxic is not the rainwater, but the microplastic particles in it because they contain chemical additives or absorb other pollutants,” said Reza. According to him, further research on this matter is still needed. However, global studies show that exposure to microplastics can cause serious health impacts, such as oxidative stress, hormonal disruption and tissue damage. Reflection of human behavior Reza believes that rain containing plastic particles is a reflection of human behavior towards the earth. He said that these plastic particles are the result of the large amount of plastic that was carelessly thrown away and rubbish that was burnt without being sorted. “Jakarta’s air actually reflects human behavior underneath. The plastic we carelessly throw away, the smoke we send up, the rubbish we burn because we are too lazy to sort it, everything comes back to us in a form that is smoother, quieter, but much more dangerous,” said Reza. Reza sees public education as an important key. Reza also invited people to reduce the use of plastic, sort waste and not burn waste carelessly. “Public awareness can significantly reduce microplastic pollution,” he said. Reza said, from an environmental perspective, rainwater containing plastic particles has the potential to pollute surface and marine water sources. Then it enters the food chain. According to him, the modern urban lifestyle is one of the main causes of increasing microplastics in the atmosphere. He said with a population of more than 10 million people and 20 million vehicles, Jakarta produces large amounts of plastic waste every day. “There is still a lot of single-use plastic waste, and its management is not ideal. Some of it is burned openly or carried into rivers by rainwater,” he said. DLH DKI coordinates with BRIN The DKI Jakarta Environmental Service (DLH) will coordinate with BRIN regarding the finding of microplastic particles in Jakarta’s rainwater. Head of DLH DKI Jakarta, Asep Kuswanto, assessed that these findings are a reminder that plastic pollution has reached the atmosphere and requires concerted efforts across sectors. “We consider BRIN’s findings as an environmental alarm that must be responded to quickly and together. Plastic pollution is now not just a matter of the sea or rivers, but has reached the air of Jakarta,” Asep said in a statement on Saturday (18/10). Asep said that his party was working to strengthen the plastic waste control program from upstream to downstream. Including integrated monitoring of air and rainwater quality. According to him, the DKI Provincial Government has so far implemented a number of policies to reduce the generation of single-use plastic waste, including through Governor’s Regulation Number 142 of 2019 on the obligation to use environmentally friendly shopping bags, as well as the expansion of the Jakstrada waste program which targets a 30 percent reduction in waste from the source. Apart from that, Jakarta also continues to expand waste banks, TPS 3R and community-based recycling initiatives so that plastic waste no longer ends up in the open environment. Asep further said that DKI DLH is currently coordinating with BRIN to expand the monitoring of microplastics in air and rainwater as part of the Jakarta Environmental Data Integration (JEDI) system, a data-based environmental quality monitoring platform. It is hoped that the results of these measurements can become the basis for stronger policies to control plastic pollution in the air. (amw/rfs)