Green mussels can help reduce polluted waters at Jakarta Bay as a kilogram of mollusks can filter at least 10 liters of water per hour.
Therefore 96 kilograms of green mussels would clean 960 litres of waters naturally, and decrease the toxic nitrogen level by 21 milligrams per hour, she explained.
"By releasing three tons of green mussels to the Jakarta Bay, we expect the mollusk's population will grow by 1,000 kilograms this year. This mollusk would naturally clean polluted waters at the bay without utilizing any high-tech devices," Lestari remarked.
Before being scattered at the bay, the green mussels were installed at a platform made of wire. A single platform could contain around 20 kg to 30 kg of mollusks.
The platform which function as a growing media for the green mussels was drowned at the waters with two to three meters in depth.
The program, according to Lestari, has been started since 2018. This year, she added, the company invited 14 environmental and social groups to join the action.
For years, Jakarta Bay has been severely polluted with industrial and household wastes, a research conducted by the Ministry of Environment in 2016 stated.
Huge amount of waste has polluted Jakarta Bay as it is the final downstream for 13 rivers that cross Jakarta.
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Translator: Laily Rahmawati/Genta Tenri Ma
Editor: Fardah Assegaf
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