AffThft-PftfiThThfi BftTh J/Aff 145on coral, breaking off the heads as subsequent wave action pushes the
debris along.
Bigger fishing gear, meanwhile, can trap animals large and small,
causing decay and attracting more scavengers, which, again, may get
trapped. In the early 90s, a 1,500-metre section of a net was found in
the North Pacific containing 99 seabirds, two sharks and 75 salmon.
The net was estimated to have been adrift for about a month,
travelling more than 60 miles. Though worrying, these numbers do
not include the victims that go undiscovered as they either sink or
are eaten by predators.
Even when broken down, plastics continue to haunt the oceans.
The presence of plastic on the seabed affects both the number and type
of marine organisms that inhibit the area as well as the oxygen in the
sediments, which can potentially damage the ecosystem. While invisible
to the eye, they pollute our waters with chemicals like polystyrene,
commonly found in plastics used for disposable cutlery, styrofoam and
DVD cases, among other things.
A group that’s been actively keeping the waters clean is Ocean
Conservancy. Eric DesRoberts, the group’s Trash Free Seas Program
Manager, says there has been a steady increase of volunteers joining
coastal clean-ups over the past 25 years.
“There’s definitely a sense of urgency when we start to make some
of these findings more relatable,” says DesRoberts. “Since the global
launch event, we have been encouraging folks to get out onto beaches
and waterways to help pick up trash to keep debris out of the ocean and
water system.
“Seeing more volunteers can be a good and bad thing: it means more
people are becoming aware; but what we also need to think about is
that by picking up more trash, the problem is not being solved. The real
game changers are the industry players, scientists and people who can
look at what we can do to stop trash from entering the ocean.”
One of those movers and shakers is WWF Manager of Packaging
and Material Science Erin Simon, who brings 15 years of packaging and
design experience from Hewlett-Packard to assist some of the world’s
leading consumer brands like Coca-Cola Company, Danone, Ford
Motor Company and Nestle with their roles in conservation, product
protection, reducing biological footprint, ensuring transparency in
supply chains, and better management in their products’ end-of-life
processes so the materials remain valuable and can be recovered easily
rather than reducing to just another piece of landfill junk. End of life,
Simon adds, remains her biggest hurdle.PHOTOS: TYLER KOBLA