Earth Today | ‘Sea the change’

WITH ANOTHER International Coastal Cleanup (ICC) Day set for this Saturday, September 16, the need to redouble efforts to combat plastics pollution is once again being given the spotlight.

Under the theme ‘Sea the change’, the focus of ICC Day 2023 is plastics pollution.

“This is because plastics dominate the solid waste accumulating along our coastlines. Plastic bottles are the number one item found along Jamaica’s coastline. Plastic pollution is also the focus of our NuhDutty up Jamaica Campaign which we are implementing under a project funded by GEF Small Grants Programme,” explained Dr Theresa Rodriguez-Moodie, chief executive officer at the Jamaica Environment Trust (JET), national coordinators for ICC Day activities.

The scale of the plastics problem for oceans is reflected in data from the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) which has revealed that every day, “the equivalent of 2,000 garbage trucks full of plastic are dumped into the world’s oceans, rivers, and lakes”.

In its 2021 report ‘From Pollution to Solution: A global assessment of marine and plastic pollution’, the UNEP explained that the risks to human health and to nature cannot be ignored and require scaled-up interventions.

“Plastics are the largest, most harmful and most persistent fraction of marine litter, accounting for at least 85 per cent of total marine waste. They cause lethal and sub-lethal effects in whales, seals, turtles, birds and fish as well as invertebrates such as bivalves, plankton, worms and corals. Their effects include entanglement, starvation, drowning, laceration of internal tissues, smothering and deprivation of oxygen and light, physiological stress, and toxicological harm,” the report noted.

“Plastics can also alter global carbon cycling through their effect on plankton and primary production in marine, freshwater and terrestrial systems. Marine ecosystems, especially mangroves, seagrasses, corals and salt marshes, play a major role in sequestering carbon. The more damage we do to oceans and coastal areas, the harder it is for these ecosystems to both offset and remain resilient to climate change,” it added.

It is against this background that JET has mobilised Jamaicans to do their part for ICC with more than 160 groups registered to do cleanups at 186 sites across the island. JET is also hosting its own cleanup site at the Palisadoes Go-Kart track where up to 500 volunteers will participate.

According to Rodriguez-Moodie, it is necessary and helpful that Jamaicans remain interested in ICC Day and its mission.

“While beach cleanups are temporary solutions, they are necessary as we continue to address issues related to poor disposal practices and inadequate solid waste management infrastructure,” she said.

“If we don’t do cleanups, the plastics end up in the marine environment, where they affect marine life and since they only breakdown into small pieces and do not biodegrade, plastics often end up on our dinner plates. Importantly, as plastics breakdown they release toxins which are very harmful to organisms,” Rodriguez-Moodie added.

She has also encouraged sustained efforts to reduce single-use plastics.

“While volunteers are cleaning up the coastlines, JET has been educating all of our volunteers and site coordinators, not only on the importance of proper solid waste management, but the need to reduce single-use plastics as much as possible. Not only is it harmful to marine life and human health but plastics are made from fossil fuel, and the use of fossil fuel is the major cause of the climate crises,” she noted.

Local clean-up efforts yielded the collection of 79,507 pounds of garbage from 124 miles of coastline, thanks to the efforts of 6,020 volunteers.

“Plastic beverage bottles was the number one collected item, followed by bottle caps, plastic/foam pieces and beverage cans. Plastic cups and plates, food wrappers, small plastic bags and plastic utensils were also in the top 10 items collected,” the JET boss revealed.

“We all have a part to play in keeping our island clean and protecting our oceans – government, business and individuals at home, school, etc. All aspects of our lives depend on a healthy environment. So we encourage all Jamaicans to reduce the amount of plastic that you use. If you must use plastic, please recycle,” she added.

pwr.gleaner@gmail.com