Did You Know? Marine Debris Initiative

Ocean litter prompts federal action Before you toss that cigarette to lee, consider that it takes up to five years for it to break down. The average American discards about four and half pounds of garbage a day, and while little of it goes overboard, some still works its way into rivers, lakes and oceans. That has prompted the federal Marine Debris Initiative, which includes an education campaign by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). First lady Laura Bush, who is promoting the initiative, says it will also include cooperation between the U.S. and other nations to prevent fishing gear from getting permanently dumped in the sea. In announcing the initiative last fall, Bush described pollution she saw firsthand on Midway Island, Hawaii, and its effect on Laysan albatrosses. “We became very fond of these funny little birds that we watched, but we also saw the carcasses of a lot of these infant Laysan albatross because when their parents fish, they fish on the surface for squid, and that’s where the plastic floats. “So we would see the little carcasses, and when we sort of looked in them, you would see cigarette lighters and toothbrushes and bottle caps and toys—toy cars or little tires from toys—and every single type of plastic that we all know we use every day.” As it is, Hawaii is the only location to record a significant decrease in debris in the five-year National Marine Debris Monitoring Program, which ended in 2006. Elsewhere in the U.S., marine debris from both land and sea sources increased by about 5 percent per year, says the Ocean Conservancy, which conducted the study. To reduce marine debris, NOAA urges boaters to secure garbage so it will not blow away and then properly dispose of it ashore. Also, ask your marina to provide more trash and recycling bins if it doesn’t have enough. Visit www.marinedebris.noaa.gov for more information. Or call 800-426-8802 to find out where to report illegal dumping.

 

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