Muhammad Thaib no longer earns a living as a fisherman. A resident of Kampung Buyut Udik, Gunung Sugih in Central Lampung, Thaib decided to quit a long time ago since Way Seputih—the White River—was heavily polluted by effluents from industries operating in the area. Some 20 industries, from tapioca to paper and chemical plants, discharge their waste into the river.

Today, Way Seputih is one of the most heavily poisoned—and p