SEAToday.com, Jakarta – The government of West Nusa Tenggara (NTB) has prohibited hikers from bringing plastic when trekking Mount Rinjani, Lombok, starting in 2025.

This ban will take effect when the hiking routes are reopened on April 3, 2025. The measure is aimed at reducing inorganic waste along the trekking paths.

The Mount Rinjani National Park Office (BTNGR) recorded 43.24 tons of waste generated from both hiking and non-hiking activities in the Mount Rinjani National Park area in 2024.

Of this total, 40.8 tons of waste came from hiking activities on Mount Rinjani, while non-hiking activities contributed 2.44 tons of waste.

Based on these figures, the solution proposed is to ban hikers from bringing plastic during their trek. This decision follows coordination between the NTB Tourism Office and the Mount Rinjani National Park Office.

Hikers will no longer be allowed to bring plastic drink bottles or single-use food packaging. Instead, they will be required to use reusable tumblers for water and bring food containers wrapped in plastic or glass bottles.

Those who violate this rule may face being blacklisted or banned from hiking for two years.

In the future, all items brought by hikers, both up and down the mountain, will be checked by the Rinjani National Park authorities. This inspection will also apply to porters.