Supreme Court rejects lawsuit from recycling association seeking to overturn Bali’s ban on single-use plastic waste

Indonesia’s Supreme Court (MA) has rejected a lawsuit filed by the Indonesia Plastic Recycling Association (ADUPI) against the Bali Provincial Government over the latter’s policy aimed at reducing the island’s plastic waste. 

“That means that the Governor’s Regulation, which bans single-use plastics in Bali, can continue,” Bali Governor Wayan Koster said earlier today, as quoted by Kumparan. 

Koster added that other governors across Indonesia should follow Bali’s footsteps on the plastic issue without hesitation. 

“There’s no need to be hesitant or afraid. We’ve now seen how it does at the Supreme Court, so [the policy] has strong legal standing,” Koster said. 

Koster issued a regulation banning single-use plastic bags, straws and styrofoam late last year, and the policy officially went into effect on June 23. In April, ADUPI challenged the regulation at MA, out of concern that the plastics supply for recycling would be reduced as a result of the regulation. 

ADUPI argued that the Bali government was being inconsistent in its implementation of the 2008 Law on Waste Management as well as 2011 Governor Regulation on the same issue. 

“The accusation that the 2018 Governor Regulation created a new criterion on prohibition, which is not in line with the 2008 Law and 2011 Governor Regulation on Waste Management, is not true,” Koster said today as quoted by Bali Post.  

While island-wide data is not yet available, Denpasar officials recently announced a significant decrease in the city’s plastic waste, with sellers in traditional markets and street shops reportedly having reduced more than half of their plastics use compared to the year before. 

Koster also said he plans on having discussions with industry and trade practitioners, especially those that produces single-use plastic products, such as straws, to shift toward producing more environmentally-friendly products.