by Alexia Abdilla Grade 5 Green St. Monica School, Birkirkara MARINE LITTER by Alexia Abdilla Grade 5 Green St. Monica School, Birkirkara

Marine litter also called debris refers to any man-made waste that finds itself floating in the sea or waterway. This can happen: Directly example when people throw things in the sea or Indirectly example with storms that wash out materials in the sea from the streets

Marine litter has become a problem along shores, coasts and oceans throughout the world. Objects range from: detergent bottles medical wastes fishing lines and nets plastic

The most common type of objects that are considered as litter in our sea are: plastic bags bottles and cans cigarette filters plastic lighters bottle caps and lids

From where does marine litter come from? Trash which is not recycled or thrown away properly. This can be carried to the sea when it rains. Trash left behind on beaches after a day at the beach. Ships and boats at sea who throw or drop unwanted things and cargo ships who lose containers at sea usually during storms Fisherman who lose or discard large fishing nets, ropes and lines in the sea

Why is marine litter a serious problem? It pollutes the water and can make people sick Apart from making beaches look ugly and dirty, trash on beaches can be harmful to the health and safety of beach users Animals like seals, sea turtles, crabs and fish can be wounded or unable to swim if they become tangled in sea litter Also sea animals can swallow or eat pieces of plastic or other bad material by mistake, causing death It is dangerous to ships and boats when they get stuck, hit or tangled in debris

What is being done to prevent marine litter? Several programmes are organised around the world to raise awareness about the problem of sea litter Local clean up campaigns on beaches and under the sea International law and policies for cargo and navy ships that prohibit throwing plastic wastes overboard Research studies are continuously done to assess why this problem is increasing and what should be done to reduce it

How can I help? Proper recycling or reuse materials at home and at school Choose products which can be recycled or with little or no packaging Do not throw waste in the streets or on the beach Keep rain water drains clean Never put oil or chemicals down the drain, these will contaminate our sea Participate in cleaning-up programmes at school, on beaches or in our villages Be responsible with plastic litter when near the sea, as one act of a second will take many years to solve itself Educate friends and family about what consists of litter in the sea

Conclusion Marine litter is a terrible problem around the world. It hurts and kills fish and marine life, is a hazard for ships and is harmful to humans. The best solution to reduce this problem is that everyone has to be careful and start disposing of waste more carefully.