MARINE LITTER AND WHAT YOU CAN DO ABOUT IT A SIERRA CLUB MARINE ACTION TEAM PRESENTATION Photo source: NOAA

Trash, also lost and abandoned fishing gear (primarily large trawl and drift nets) float into protected, low-energy, shallow water environments all over the world. MARINE LITTER - TRASH

Entangling Swallowing Worldwide, 100,000 marine mammals and turtles killed annually by plastic litter. 267 species found entangled in or having ingested marine debris.

The Ocean Conservancy runs International Coastal Cleanup involving 127 countries; volunteers clean up, take data every year 3rd Saturday in September. 60% of debris is fishing lines and nets, beach toys, and food wrappers. Another 29% is cigarette butts and filters. Styrofoam and plastic bottles common. Plastic doesn’t break down – bottles, bags large part of debris. Per article in Proc. Nat. Acad. Sci Oct. 2015: 90% of sea birds are eating plastic.

Microplastics

Plastic particles smaller than 1 mm From (a) breakdown of larger particles, (b) fibers from synthetic fabrics in washing machines, (c) micro-beads (Right photo) in personal care products Accumulate in Great Garbage Patches in center of gyres in the middle of the oceans Eaten by plankton. Found in fish skin, crab gills Toxic chemicals attach to them. Are a route for toxic chemicals to get into the food chain

Marine debris increasing by ~5 %/yr despite increasing beach cleanups Need to reduce/recycle plastics. Switch to sustainable packaging. Take reusable bags to supermarket. Recover lost fishing gear Short video on microbeads: TRENDS and NEEDS

Some companies phasing out microbeads. Federal ban on some microbeads passed in (However, much of the microplastics are in the form of microfibers from our synthetic clothing – not so easily banned) Good News - mostly Some species like floating litter – crab that lives on floating seaweed now has more floating habitat to live on. HI and CA banned plastic bags. Pending bills in many states and municipalities. BUT: Plastic companies oppose and may sue.

For more information: Visit Grassroots Network Marine Debris Project on FacebookGrassroots Network Marine Debris Project on Facebook Contact Dr. Judith Weis at Contact Clint Richmond at