Marine debris triggers coastal environment pollution

Disna MUDALIGE

Marine debris has contributed largely to the pollution in the coastal environment threatening oceans, coasts, marine mammals, fish, sea birds, human health and safety, Marine Environment Protection Authority said in a brochure published to mark the World Ocean Day held on June 8.

Marine debris is any persistent manufactured or processed solid material discarded, disposed or abandoned in the marine environment.

The total input of marine litter to oceans worldwide is estimated at 1,800 tons everyday or 8 million items everyday. Over 13,000 pieces of plastics are floating on every square kilometre of the ocean surface.

The discharge of untreated municipal sewage, tourism, offshore hotels and industries have contributed to the marine litter.

These take a long time to degrade such as 10- 20 years for a plastic bag, 8- 200 years for an aluminum can, 450 years for a plastic bottle and one million years for a glass bottle.

These damage wild life through entanglement, indigestion and habitat destruction, while threatening biodiversity by the introduction of invasive species.

These also have a negative effect on tourism, and cost for collection and disposal of marine debris is an economic loss to the country.