Littering can happen intentionally or unintentionally, but both have environmental consequences. Litter can take a variety of forms, but some items are littered more frequently than others.
In a study by Keep America Beautiful , researchers found that the most littered items include:. While But why do people intentionally litter? The justification behind littering is quite simple and generally boils down to one of four reasons:. Other than just being unsightly, litter can cause serious consequences for the environment.
As litter degrades, chemicals and microparticles are released. For example, cigarette butts can contain chemicals such as arsenic and formaldehyde. These poisons can make their way into the soil and freshwater sources, impacting both humans and animals. In addition to water and soil pollution, litter can also pollute the air. In a tragic example, derelict fishing gear contributed to the sinking of a Korean passenger ferry in that resulted in the deaths of passengers. Humans can also be directly harmed by aquatic trash, becoming entangled in nets and lines while swimming or diving, or being injured by sharp debris that accumulates on beaches.
In most instances they are able to free themselves. In rare instances entanglement has resulted in injury and even death. Additionally, sharp debris that accumulates on beaches regularly results in puncture wounds and lacerations.
Medical waste, such as hypodermic needles, is of particular concern because punctures can result in the transfer of infections and disease. Due to the human health risk of medical debris, beaches in New York and New Jersey were closed to protect the public from medical waste that washed ashore in Aquatic trash also reduces the aesthetic and recreational values of rivers, beaches and marine resources.
The buildup of plastic debris on beaches is of particular concern for coastal cities since unsightly debris and entangled marine life can reduce the area's attractiveness to local residents and tourists.
Immense economic costs are incurred to clean marine debris from beaches. In EPA conducted a study to quantify the cost spent by 90 cities, large and small, in California, Oregon and Washington, located along the coast or in watersheds draining to the ocean, to clean up litter and prevent trash from entering the ocean or waterways leading to it. Nearly 50 million people live in these three states and over 85 percent of them live on the ocean or along rivers draining into it.
This public cost burden makes yet another reason for finding effective strategies to reduce the trash entering our waterways and contributing to marine debris. Skip to main content. Environment Planet Possible India bets its energy future on solar—in ways both small and big. Environment As the EU targets emissions cuts, this country has a coal problem.
Paid Content How Hong Kong protects its sea sanctuaries. History Magazine These 3,year-old giants watched over the cemeteries of Sardinia. Magazine How one image captures 21 hours of a volcanic eruption.
Science Why it's so hard to treat pain in infants. Science The controversial sale of 'Big John,' the world's largest Triceratops. Science Coronavirus Coverage How antivirals may change the course of the pandemic.
Science Coronavirus Coverage U. Travel A road trip in Burgundy reveals far more than fine wine. Travel My Hometown In L. Travel The last artists crafting a Thai royal treasure. Subscriber Exclusive Content. Why are people so dang obsessed with Mars? How viruses shape our world. The era of greyhound racing in the U. See how people have imagined life on Mars through history.
Input sources for data used to calculate Status and Pressure scores for the other components are listed in Table S23 of Halpern et al. The overall goal score is the geometric mean of the scores for the four components, which are weighted equally. All pressures, including marine trash, have different affects on different goals. For each goal, the affect of each pressure is weighted 'low' 1 , 'medium' 2 or 'high' 3. The actual data-derived value of the pressure is then multiplied by the weight assigned to it for that goal.
That process is repeated for each pressure-goal combination. The sum of those values divided by 3 the the maximum pressure-goal value expresses the total affect of that pressure on the goal. Marine trash is a pressure for several of the Ocean Health Index goals. Floating marine debris often accumulates in particular regions because of wind patterns and currents known as gyres. Seabirds, turtles, marine mammals and fish can mistake floating trash for food; if ingested, it can choke them or block their digestive systems.
Large debris, such as old fishing gear and nets, can kill animals by strangulation or prevent them from performing vital activities such as swimming or diving. Plastic trash smaller than 5mm microplastic poses an additional threat because it adsorbs toxic chemicals, including DDT and PCBs, which can cause cancers, weaken the immune system and make animals more susceptible to diseases and other infections.
More than species are known to have ingested or been entangled by plastic debris STAP Ingestion of plastic trash and the consequent uptake of toxins adsorbed on its surface can transfer harmful chemicals through the food web into species eaten by humans; these can include molecules known to increase the risk of birth defects and cancer. Careless or unlawful disposal of syringes and other medical waste products can spread diseases and pose risks to beach-goers.
Marine debris decreases the economic value and productivity of coastal regions, particularly in the tourism, recreation, and seafood industries, and creates additional costs. For the past 25 years, the Ocean Conservancy has organized ocean clean-ups in countries.
0コメント