According to BRIN researchers, the paracetamol residue found in the waters of Jakarta Bay could come from human waste due to excessive public consumption at hospitals as well as from the pharmaceutical industry.
By
KOMPAS EDITOR
·3 minutes read
Badan Riset dan Inovasi Nasional
Research data from the National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN) and the University of Brighton related to paracetamol pollution in the waters of Jakarta Bay.
While the polemic has not ended over the Jakarta administration’s failure to overcome air pollution, news has emerged about the discovery of paracetamol contamination in Jakarta Bay.
As Kompas reported on 17 Sept., Jakarta Governor Anies R. Baswedan insisted that the administration had pursued various efforts to reduce air pollution, such as an environmental program for controlling the greenhouse gas emissions that had been implemented since 2019.
His statement followed the verdict issued on 16 Sept. by the judicial panel of the Central Jakarta District Court.
The court ruled that the governor, along with six other high-ranking senior officials at the presidential and ministerial levels, was guilty of air pollution in a class action lawsuit filed by 32 residents grouped under the Capital City Coalition.
Having yet to settle the years-long air pollution issue, the Jakarta administration has been confronted with another environmental problem following the recent discovery at Jakarta Bay.
The National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN) and the University of Brighton, England, have released the results of their research into paracetamol pollution in the northern coastal waters of Java (Kompas, 4/10/2021).
Kompas/Wawan H Prabowo
A number of fishing boats rest near the water disposal pipe of the Pluit Reservoir Pump House in the Penjaringan area, North Jakarta, Sunday (5/9/2021). The pump house is directly adjacent to the waters of Jakarta Bay.
According to BRIN researchers, the paracetamol residue found in the waters of Jakarta Bay could come from human waste due to excessive public consumption at hospitals as well as from the pharmaceutical industry.
The high Greater Jakarta population and the many types of easily procured over-the-counter drugs had contributed to the paracetamol contamination in Jakarta Bay.
Meanwhile, a potential source of the contaminant could be poorly functioning wastewater management systems at hospitals and pharmaceutical companies. Residues from the drug manufacturing process, or pharmaceutical waste, pollute rivers and eventually flow into coastal waters.
The Kompas editorial team exposed the issue of uncontrolled medical waste in investigative reports published between November and December 2019.
The paracetamol residue found in the waters of Jakarta Bay could come from human waste due to excessive public consumption at hospitals as well as from the pharmaceutical industry.
It was then discovered that medical waste was easily obtained from waste pickers and waste recycling centers. Medical waste is harmful to the health and the environment, and individuals are prohibited from collecting such waste.
Health Ministry Regulation No. 7/2019 states that all medical waste is hazardous to the health and the environment. Medical waste must be managed properly and safely by hospitals, the pharmaceutical industry or licensed waste recycling centers and should not be disposed of in public. However, its implementation has been lacking.
What about medical waste from the greater public? It is more or less the same. The widespread habit of consuming paracetamol to manage pain has contributed to the coastal pollution.
As it requires no medical prescription to purchase, paracetamol is widely consumed as a fever reducer and pain reliever.
The huge task of maintaining clean water and air in Jakarta must be viewed as the logical consequence of the capital city’s dense population.
While the population continues to grow, the carrying capacity of the urban environment continues to decline. It is necessary to involve residents in the measures to overcome pollution. Political communication with the proper, persuasive message will encourage the residents to contribute to environmental efforts. There is no need to beg or force them to help.
