MARINE DEBRIS - Marine Pollution: What Everyone Needs to Know - page 55

places like the Northwest Pacific Islands, where there are some
of the best coral reefs in the world, as well as the Pacific Coast
of the United States. This issue will be discussed more in
Chapter 10, which covers invasive species.
Can marine debris harm people?
Debris can affect human health when broken glass, cans, and
medical wastes such as syringes wash up on recreational
beaches. Swimmers and divers can become entangled in aban-
doned netting and fishing lines. Debris that enters the water
with sewage (e.g., tampon applicators) may indicate a more
serious sewage pollution problem with pathogenic bacteria.
Since microplastics pick up toxic pollutants and get into food
webs, it is likely that they are getting into our seafood, which
is another source of those toxic chemicals for us. Aesthetic
problems of ugly litter on the shoreline can easily result in
economic effects on coastal communities when tourists stop
coming.
What can be done about it? Can cleanups be effective?
Worldwide efforts are underway to monitor and remove
marine debris, and to prevent further pollution by control-
ling litter at its source. Marine debris is a solvable problem
if people can identify sources and control them. During the
annual International Coastal Cleanup sponsored by the Ocean
Conservancy, millions of volunteers in 127 countries around
the world pick up debris from beaches and record data.
Participants fill out a data sheet to record the specific items
collected, indicating the types of activities that produced the
litter. This produces an extensive database of information (as
well as cleaner beaches) around the world. Every September,
volunteers have removed debris from nearly 288,000 kilome-
ters of coast, 60% of which is comprised of fishing lines and
nets, beach toys, and food wrappers. Another 29% is cigarette