Bondowoso Rainwater Contaminated with Microplastics: Students of Nurussalam Islamic Boarding School Identify the Sources

Students of Nurussalam Inventory of ilegal plastic dumping waste at the
Sumber Kemuning Village (18/11/2025)

Bondowoso, Indonesia — 19 November 2025 Fifteen female students from Nurussalam Islamic Boarding School (PP Nurussalam), Sumber Kemuning, Tamanan District, Bondowoso, have uncovered alarming evidence of microplastic contamination in local rainwater. The findings emerged from a citizen science project conducted as part of the East Java Young Changemaker Academy (JAYCA) 2025. “We were shocked to discover that rainwater in Bondowoso contains microplastics,” said Siti Fatimah, one of the student researchers. “After observing the environment around our school, we found widespread burning of waste, piles of plastic trash along the roadsides, and littering behaviors. These practices contribute to the spread of microplastics.”

The two-day program included training on water quality monitoring, microplastic testing in rainwater, and mapping environmental problems linked to the climate crisis. Students later developed posters and social media content to encourage public participation in climate action.

“JAYCA aims to increase climate crisis awareness among East Java’s Gen Z and encourage young people to become part of the global solution,” said Prigi Arisandi, JAYCA 2025 Mentor. “The first step is understanding the environmental issues in their own communities and designing practical solutions that can drive positive change.”

Rainwater in Bondowoso Found to Contain Microplastics

The graph above shows the microplastic levels in rainwater in Badean (52 MP: 50 fibers and 2 fragments), Sumber Kemuning (36 MP: fibers), and Koncer (34 MP: fibers). As a control, microplastic levels in bottled gallon water were measured at 9 MP (6 fibers and 3 filament)

Water samples were collected using aluminum or stainless-steel containers placed at least two meters above ground and away from vegetation or buildings.

The students found:

• 36 microplastic particles per liter in rainwater collected at Sumber Kemuning Village.
• The particles were identified as fibers, less than 5 mm in size, analyzed using 40x–100x magnification.
• Additional tests revealed more than 41 particles in Kemuning River water and 26 particles in water from the Kemuning spring.

“Many of us were surprised and worried when we realized that even rainwater contains microplastics,” said Cindi Yuniantika, one of the student researchers.

Five Sources of Microplastic Pollution Identified

Nurussalam Students identify microplastic under stereo microscop

To determine the causes of contamination, students conducted a 1-kilometer environmental survey around Sumber Kemuning Village. According to Bidahyatul Fitriani, the team identified five major sources of microplastics:

1. Open burning of plastic waste — Although households have trash bins, most waste is burned instead of being properly managed.
2. Plastic litter along roads — Students recorded 925 pieces of plastic waste along a 1-km stretch, including plastic bags, bottles, cups, sachets, and styrofoam. Many items were already broken into micro-fragments.
3. Plastic waste in drainage channels — Plastic was found on riverbeds and clogging waterways.
4. Illegal dumping — Waste piles were discovered in plantations, where wind and rain accelerate microplastic spread.
5. Floating waste in rivers — Large amounts of diapers, plastic bags, styrofoam, and single-use plastics were found drifting in the Sumber Kemuning River due to the lack of adequate waste disposal facilities.

Students Commit to Six Climate Solutions

“We all agreed that change must start with ourselves,” said Laila Mufida, a student of Nurussalam Agricultural Vocational School.
The JAYCA student team outlined six action steps:

1. Reduce and refuse single-use plastics.
2. Promote reusable alternatives such as tumblers, food containers, and cloth bags.
3. Create public posters urging people not to throw plastic waste into rivers.
4. Advocate for more waste bins to reduce littering.
5. Campaign against the burning of plastic waste.
6. Use social media to raise awareness and inspire peers to reduce plastic use.

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For further details, access to data, or interview requests, please contact:

Prigi Arisandi +62 85156750983 prigi.arisandi@gmail.com