Pollution degrades and destroys unique beach habitat used by animals, plants and are a public health risk. Pollution of coastal environments also limits our ability to use beaches for economic, recreational and aesthetic purposes.
Trash and other solid material that reach rivers, bays, estuaries and oceans eventually wash up on our beaches. It includes plastic toothbrushes, plastic bags, bottles and cans, cigarette filters, bottle caps, and lids. Any trash not recycled or properly thrown away can eventually reach our beaches when it is carried by the rain into sewers, storm drains, or inland rivers and streams, and then can flow all the way to the ocean. Other sources include people at the beach leaving behind their trash, and fishermen losing or discarding fishing nets and lines in the ocean.
1. kamilo Beach, Hawaii, United States
Kamilo beach, also known as "plastic Beach," is one of the dirtiest places on the planet. Located in a rural area of Hawaii's Big Island, Kamilo is a wasteland of plastic waste. In fact, thousands of pounds of man-made plastic waste. Some of the waste is carried from as far away as Japan and Russia.One reason why this beach is so polluted is due to its proximity to the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, a high-pressure area that traps ocean debris. The accumulated garbage that covers the beach and an adjacent 2.8 miles (4.5 km) of shoreline consists of 90% plastic. Wildlife in the area has suffered significant damage due to the garbage. Multiple community-based cleanup efforts have taken place on Kamilo Beach in recent years. Prior to these efforts, the debris was 8 to 10 feet (2.4 to 3.0 m) high in some places.
April 2012 and April 2013
2. kuta Beach, Bali, Indonesia
Indonesia is the second-biggest marine polluter in the world, after China. contributing 10% of global marine pollution.
That's why it shouldn't be shocking to learn that Kuta Beach, one of Bali's most popular tourist destinations, is often covered in garbage— especially during the rainy season when huge amounts of garbage wash on shores.
3. Port Phillip Bay, Melbourne, Australia
An estimated 800 million bits of rubbish are flowing into Port Phillip Bay annually from just two rivers, painting an alarming picture of pollution on Melbourne’s much-loved coastline. More than 300 stormwater drains empty into Port Phillip Bay from ten municipalities. Within the City of Port Phillip alone there are oaver 7,600 drainage pits which take stormwater from the street into these drains. No matter where in Melbourne litter is discarded it will eventually find its way into the bay, via these drainage pits. To assist with improving the quality of the stormwater entering our bay, Council has installed litter and gross pollutant traps in 197 locations throughout the municipality along drains which end up at the beach.
4. Chowpatty Beach, Mumbai, India
The water surrounding the beach is heavily polluted, and swimming should be avoided. Fecal coliform was recorded in the water in 2013. The presence of fecal coliform in the water has been attributed to waste from storm drains, open defecation, and the discharge of raw sewage from sewer pipes not connected to the city mains.
Over 99% of the toothbrushes the world uses are plastic. The kind of plastic that’s not recycled, and which ends up in either landfills or the ocean and never breaks down. But these days, there’s no need to use a plastic toothbrush, when they’re now so easily and cheaply made from bamboo.