The impact of marine coastal clean-up

What is marine littoral clean-up?

Coastal clean-up is the removal of litter and other marine debris from the water. Coastal marine cleanups are limited to shorelines and objects that have fallen or washed ashore, and are therefore different from open ocean cleanups. Coastal marine cleanups are particularly important because they provide a snapshot of shoreline litter.

By knowing the types of waste found on the coast, we can more accurately assess the effects of human activity on local ecosystems and ecosystems in general.

There are many different types of marine shoreline cleanups, including beach, river and bay cleanups. Beach clean-ups are the most common type of marine coastal clean-up. During a beach clean-up, participants remove debris from the water and shoreline and collect data on the items collected.

Beach clean-ups are relatively easy to organise and anyone can participate. River and bay clean-ups involve the removal of waste from a water source and are more complex, as equipment is needed.

The importance of coastal marine cleanups

As the name suggests, marine cleanups are critical to preserving the health of our oceans. Marine cleanups remove litter and other materials that threaten the health of the oceans from the water and shorelines.

In recent decades, the amount of rubbish in the world's oceans has increased dramatically.

According to a report by the Ocean Conservancy, the amount of marine litter has approximately tripled since the 1970s. This is a worrying trend, as marine debris can adversely affect the health and safety of marine life. It can also adversely affect human health and safety and damage important industries, such as fisheries and shipping.

In addition, cleaning up marine litter can be costly and damaging to the environment. A single marine clean-up operation can remove thousands of kilos of rubbish from the oceans.

3. Effects of marine littoral cleanups

By removing debris, marine cleanups help protect marine life by reducing the risk of other contaminants, such as chemicals and pathogens, entering the water. Marine cleanups remove debris that can harm marine life through entanglement, ingestion or other means.

By involving the public in marine cleanups, we can encourage long-term conservation efforts that will benefit the health of the oceans. Because humans are naturally curious, we are more likely to participate in conservation activities if we better understand the issues and gain information about the state of the environment.

Marine cleanups help us to better understand the types of debris found in a particular area, the species of fish and other marine life living there, and the overall health of the ecosystem.

This information is essential for understanding the impact of human activities on local ecosystems, which ultimately helps us to better protect the oceans.

Types of waste typically collected

During marine cleanups, participants often collect different types of waste. Beach cleanups typically collect broken glass, food wrappers, plastic bottles and bags, fishing line, tyres and other bicycle or vehicle parts, fishing nets, clothing, shoes and sandals, straws and other plastics. River and bay clean-ups collect similar types of waste, but often in different quantities. The amount of waste collected usually depends on the type of area where the clean-up takes place.

The benefits of coastal marine cleanups may depend on the type of cleanup being carried out. Beach cleanups usually pick up easily visible debris, such as broken glass and plastic bags. They do not usually collect heavy metals and other hazardous substances, such as fuel and oil, which often wash ashore.

Rivers and bays can collect debris containing harmful substances, such as oil, fuel and harmful chemicals that have been washed into the water. During a bay clean-up, participants may clean a section of the bay with a team of boats equipped with nets to collect debris and other materials. They then collect the waste and take it to a central location, where it is collected and disposed of properly.

Benefits of coastal marine cleanups

Marine cleanups allow us to better understand the effects of human activities on local ecosystems and the state of the environment in general. Marine cleanups help us learn more about the types of debris found in a particular area, the types of fish species and other marine life living there, and the overall health of the ecosystem.

This information can help us better understand the impact of human activities on local ecosystems, which ultimately helps us to better protect the oceans.

According to the Ocean Conservancy, coastal cleanups provide us with information on the type, amount and kind of debris collected, as well as the state of the coastline. This information is critical to understanding the impact of human activities on local ecosystems, which ultimately helps us to better protect the oceans.

6. Challenges of coastal marine clean-ups

While marine cleanups are essential to preserve the health of our oceans, they can also pose certain challenges.

The first major challenge of marine cleanups is finding enough people to participate. For many, cleaning up the oceans is a seemingly impossible task.

The sheer amount of rubbish in the oceans can be daunting and make people wonder:

"What difference can I make? It is an understandable reaction. Although cleaning up the oceans is a huge task, you can make a difference by doing what you can. By participating in a coastal clean-up near you, you can make a significant impact.

Another challenge of marine cleanups is finding the necessary funding to organise them. Marine cleanups require a substantial amount of funds to organise, which are often raised through grants and fundraising. A coastal clean-up usually involves renting boats, buying nets, paying for transport, hiring boat captains, hiring staff to supervise the clean-up, providing refreshments for volunteers and other expenses.

How to participate in a marine littoral clean-up

The first step to participating in a marine cleanup is to find one near you. There are several resources that can help you find a cleanup in your area. You can search for coastal cleanups on the Ocean Conservancy's website or on the Coastal Cleanup Day website.

You can also contact your state's environmental department to see if they organise coastal cleanups. Once you find a cleanup near you, you can sign up and participate. Participating in a cleanup is an easy way to make a difference and help preserve the health of our oceans.

Examples of successful cleanups of marine shorelines

In 1988, Captain Charles Moore sailed from Hawaii to California and discovered an enormous amount of plastic in the water, now known as the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. Captain Moore's discovery led to the formation of Ocean Cleanup, a non-profit organisation dedicated to removing plastic from the world's oceans. In 2018, Ocean Cleanup completed the largest cleanup operation in history, removing millions of pounds of plastic from the water.

In 1989, a group of New Jersey volunteers collected 5 tons of litter along a 3-kilometre stretch of coastline. This clean-up is estimated to have saved New Jersey $10 million in potential clean-up costs.

Resources for marine littoral clean-up

There are many resources available to learn more about the benefits of coastal marine cleanups and how to get involved. You can start by visiting the Ocean Conservancy and Coastal Cleanup Day websites, or by reading this article.

There are also several organisations that organise marine clean-ups. You can find a list of clean-up organisations here.

You can also contact your local environmental department to see if they organise coastal clean-ups or if they know of organisations that do.

You can also contact the Ocean Conservancy to find an organisation near you.

Conclusion

Marine coastal cleanups are essential to preserve the health of our oceans. They help protect marine life by reducing the risk of other pollutants, such as chemicals and pathogens, entering the water. By participating in a coastal clean-up near you, you can make a significant difference in protecting the health of the oceans. There are many organisations that organise coastal cleanups, so there is no excuse not to participate.