Bali’s provincial government plans to ban the production of small plastic packaging, such as sachets, starting in 2026, Asia News Network reported.
The move follows an earlier decision to prohibit the production of bottled water in containers smaller than 1 litre, a policy shaped by input from environmental groups.
Bali Vice Governor I Nyoman Giri Prasta said the administration is currently focused on enforcing the bottled-water ban but indicated that broader restrictions on plastic packaging may follow in 2026.
The Nusantara River Research Agency (BRUIN) had previously urged Governor I Wayan Koster to expand the scope of the ban. Muhammad Kholif Basyaiban, BRUIN’s waste census coordinator, stressed the importance of aligning Bali’s environmental policy with national legislation, including Law No. 18/2008 on Waste Management, which holds producers accountable for the waste generated by their products. He also pointed to Ministerial Decree No. 75/2019, which outlines further responsibilities for reducing packaging waste.
According to the National Waste Management Information System, Bali produced around 1.2 million tonnes of plastic waste in 2024 – a figure that highlights the urgency of the issue.
However, the new regulations have drawn criticism from local bottled-water companies. The ban on bottles under 1 litre, formalised in Gubernatorial Circular No. 9/2025 under the Clean Bali Movement, has raised concerns among producers about the lack of consultation and potential economic impact.
‘Environmental conservation policy in Bali is indeed important [and] urgent but cannot be applied unilaterally without a dialogue mechanism and legal protection for local businesses,’ said I Gde Wiradhitya Samuhata, president director of CV Tirta Taman Bali, a producer of packaged drinks.
Mr Samuhata noted that many producers already use recyclable materials such as polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and polypropylene (PP) and support better waste management practices. He argued that the focus should shift towards systemic reforms – including recycling incentives, education, and clearer producer responsibilities – rather than production bans alone.
Nyoman Arta Widyana, president director of PT Tirta Mumbul Jaya Abadi, a producer of bottled water, echoed this view. He called for a broader, more inclusive approach, stating that targeting bottled water alone while overlooking other plastic packaging fails to address the full scope of the problem.
