The Citarum River's Pollution: A Troubling Journey

The Citarum River in Indonesia is considered one of the most polluted rivers in the world. Decades of neglect and mismanagement have turned the once pristine river into a toxic swamp. The river, which is the longest and largest in West Java, supports millions of people for their food, water, and electricity needs. However, the Citarum has become severely polluted due to industrial waste and sewage discharge, with over 2,000 factories dumping toxic chemicals and heavy metals into the water. This has led to a decline in fish species, rice yields, and health issues for those who rely on the river. Various attempts have been made to clean up the river, including a seven-year revitalisation program initiated by the Indonesian government in 2018, but the problem of pollution persists.

Textile factories dumping toxic waste

The Citarum River in Indonesia is considered one of the world's most polluted rivers. Textile factories in Bandung and Cimahi are major contributors to the toxic waste in the river. There are an estimated 2,000 industrial and manufacturing facilities in the Citarum River basin, including at least 200 textile and apparel factories. These factories dispose of over 20,000 tons of waste and 340,000 tons of wastewater daily into the river.

The wastewater from these factories contains a range of harmful substances, including lead, mercury, arsenic, sulphites, nonylphenol, Phthalates, PCB 180, paranitrophenol, tributylphosphate, cadmium, cobalt, and other toxins. The high levels of lead in the river, which were found to be 1,000 times worse than U.S. standards for drinking water, have had severe impacts on human health, causing various skin diseases and respiratory distress from inhaling factory smoke.

The pollution from textile factories has also had significant ecological consequences, with the river losing an estimated 60% of its fish population since 2008. The clean-up of the Citarum River is estimated to cost Rp35 trillion ($4 billion) over 15 years, and the Indonesian government has initiated a seven-year plan to address the issue.

The presence of global brands such as GAP, H&M, and Adidas, which source their products from factories located along the Citarum, has brought attention to the issue. These companies have a responsibility to ensure their suppliers do not use harmful dyes and chemicals and treat their waste before disposal. The textile industry in Indonesia aims to expand and become one of the top five largest textile producers globally, which will likely increase the environmental impact on the Citarum River.

Lack of enforcement and regulation

The Citarum River in Indonesia is considered the world's most polluted river. It is the third-longest river in Java and the longest and largest river in West Java, supporting the food, water, and electricity supply for 25 million people.

The river has been polluted by human activity, with about 5 million people living in its basin, and thousands of waste-producing factories based along its course. Over 20,000 tons of waste and 340,000 tons of wastewater from textile factories are disposed of into the river daily, resulting in the elimination of a significant part of the river's fish population.

The lack of enforcement and regulation has been cited as one of the main causes of the Citarum River's pollution. By law, factories are required to clean up their wastewater before releasing it back into the river. However, activist groups claim that minimal enforcement, coupled with widespread false reporting and bribery, has allowed facilities to continue dumping toxic and hazardous chemicals into the river.

The Indonesian government has made efforts to clean up the river, including initiating the Citarum Harum river cleaning project in 2018, which involved multiple stakeholders. The government also received a $500 million loan from the Asian Development Bank in 2007 to implement Integrated Water Resource Management. However, these attempts have largely been unsuccessful due to a lack of enforcement and coordination, as well as bribes paid by factories to avoid making changes.

The pollution in the Citarum River has had severe consequences for the environment and local communities. The water quality is unsafe for human use, with high levels of faecal bacteria and heavy metals. People living along the river suffer from various skin diseases and respiratory issues due to the polluted water and factory smoke. The pollution has also impacted agriculture, with rice yields dropping and crops being damaged by poor water quality.

Population growth and urbanisation

The Citarum River, the largest river in West Java, supports the food, water, and electricity supply for 25 million people. It is also one of the most polluted rivers in the world. The primary source of pollution is the 1,900 industries located along the river, with 90% of these industries lacking adequate waste treatment facilities. As a result, the river is contaminated with lead, mercury, iron, cadmium, chromium, cobalt, manganese, and other toxins.

The population growth and urbanization along the Citarum River have put immense pressure on the river's ecosystem. With 25 million people living within its basin, the river has become a dumping ground for household waste and industrial wastewater. The rapid growth of cities and towns along the river has led to increased industrialization and economic activity, with more than 2,000 factories relying on the river for their supply of water and disposal of wastewater. The textile industry, in particular, has been a major contributor to the river's pollution, with textile factories in Bandung and Cimahi disposing of toxic waste into the river.

Access to cheap and plentiful water has been a driving factor in the area's growth and industrialization. However, this has also led to increased pressure on the river's resources and inadequate treatment of wastewater. The lack of enforcement of regulations and the widespread bribery and false reporting by factories have exacerbated the problem, allowing the continued dumping of toxic chemicals into the river.

The impact of population growth and urbanization on the Citarum River is evident in the severe pollution levels and the decline of the river's ecosystem. The river is no longer a source of livelihood for fishermen like Suratmo, who now make a living collecting garbage from the river. The water quality has deteriorated to the point where it is unsafe for human use, with high levels of faecal bacteria and pollutants. This has led to various health issues for the people relying on the river, including skin diseases, respiratory distress, and the consumption of contaminated food and water.

Efforts to clean up the Citarum River and address the impact of population growth and urbanization have been initiated by the Indonesian government and environmental organizations. In 2018, the President of Indonesia, Joko Widodo, launched a seven-year plan to clean up the river and achieve clean drinking water status. The plan includes the involvement of the military, the installation of waste and water treatment facilities, and reforestation efforts. However, the success of these efforts depends on strong enforcement and the cooperation of industries and local communities.

Industrial wastewater

The Citarum River in Indonesia is considered the world's most polluted river. It is the third-longest river in Java and plays an important role in the lives of the people of West Java, providing water for drinking, cooking, watering farmland and animals, fishing, and irrigation.

The river has been polluted by various sources, including industrial wastewater, household waste, and agricultural runoff. Along the riverbed are approximately 2,000 industrial facilities, mostly from the textile industry, that discharge wastewater directly into the river. These factories produce textiles for fashion brands such as Zara, Gap, Adidas, and H&M. The processes used, such as textile bleaching and colouring, consume large amounts of water.

The wastewater from these factories contains various toxins, including lead, chromium, zinc, polonium, sulphites, nonylphenol, phthalates, PCB 180, paranitrophenol, and tributylphosphate. These toxins have severe health effects on the people who rely on the river, including respiratory problems, skin diseases, intestinal problems, child development delays, renal failure, chronic bronchitis, and a higher incidence of tumours and certain kinds of cancers.

In addition to the health impacts, pollution has also affected agriculture, with rice yields dropping and farmers having to sell their rice paddies for half the normal price. The water quality is so poor that, in some places, the garbage completely covers the water, and the river contains so little oxygen that it is essentially a "death river".

Efforts have been made to clean up the river, including a seven-year cleansing program initiated by President Joko Widodo in 2018, involving 7,000 regular soldiers. The program includes blocking outlets conveying polluted wastewater from factories, setting up waste and water treatment facilities, combating soil erosion, reforesting surrounding mountains, extracting toxic sediment, and environmental education projects. However, challenges remain, including lack of coordination, bribes paid by factories, and lack of enforcement of regulations on industrial waste disposal.

Solid waste and sewage discharge

The Citarum River in Indonesia is considered the world's most polluted river. It is the third-longest river in Java and the primary source of surface water for the millions of people who live in its basin.

The river has been contaminated by solid waste and sewage discharge from the thousands of factories located along its course. These factories, mostly from the textile industry, dump around 20,000 tons of solid waste and 280 tons of toxins into the river daily. This has resulted in the river becoming choked with rubbish and chemical waste, including lead, mercury, arsenic, and other toxins. The water from the river can range from yellow to black in colour, and farmers have reported water foaming with detergents used to wash clothes.

The solid waste and sewage discharge from these factories have had severe environmental and health impacts. The river's fish population has decreased by 60% since 2008, and those who rely on fishing for their livelihood have had to turn to collecting garbage from the river instead. The water quality is deemed unsafe for human use, with levels of faecal coliform bacteria more than 5,000 times the mandatory limit and lead levels exceeding international drinking water standards. As a result, people living along the river have developed various skin diseases and respiratory issues.

The Indonesian government has recognized the urgency of addressing this issue and has implemented various river clean-up programs over the years, including the Citarum Harum initiative in 2018. This program aims to make the river's water drinkable by 2025 through reforestation, extraction of toxic sediment, regulation of wastewater discharge, and environmental education projects. However, challenges such as lack of enforcement, bribery, and soil erosion continue to hinder the effectiveness of these initiatives.

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