About Marine Litter
What is marine litter?
Marine litter is any persistent, man-made material that has ended up in the marine and coastal environment, whether deliberately or accidentally. These materials include vast quantities of domestic plastics, abandoned fishing gears, metals, rubbers and much more.
Marine litter is any persistent, man-made material that has ended up in the marine and coastal environment, whether deliberately or accidentally. These materials include vast quantities of domestic plastics, abandoned fishing gears, metals, rubbers and much more.
Impact of marine litter
Plastic Ingestion
Marine organisms may fail to distinguish litter from food, as some marine debris resembles food they usually feed on. Ingesting marine litter can cause blockages in the alimentary canal, loss of appetite and even death.
Entanglement
Entanglement in marine litter may restrict the movements of marine animals, which may lead to hunger and dehydration. Marine organisms can even be injured or suffocated by the marine debris. Furthermore, the entanglement may disrupt growth and development.
Fragmentation
Plastics do not decompose under sunlight or in the sea waves. However, they will break down into small pieces, which makes them extremely difficult to clean up. With microplastics being ubiquitous, even reported to be found in our blood, we have yet to fully comprehend their impact on us and the environment.
During the two years fo the programme, we visited the following locations for beach cleaning
