Coastal concern

CORNER BROOK Has your five-year-old ever asked you where things go when flushed down the toilet? Have you wondered?

Has your answer ever been down on the beach? Probably not, but thats a distinct possibility and only one of the causes of marine debris littering the Bay of Islands.

Marine debris is any material found in the marine or coastal environment that does not naturally occur in that environment.

Marine debris is a big issue, Sheldon Peddle, executive director of ACAP Humber Arm, told The Western Star.

I think most people would acknowledge that it is an issue, but dont realize how severe a problem it is for the Bay of Islands ... Even the appearance of a dirty beach can be deceiving, until you start picking up all the items.

Shoreline and ocean clean ups have been an occasional activity in this area for a number of years, and the results have been shocking and often times nothing short of scary for the local volunteers.

While I think people realize marine debris is an issue, I certainly dont think that when people flush a tampon applicator or a condom or used bandage down their toilet that they think it is going to end up on the beach area throughout the Bay of Islands, Peddle said. In fact, its probably something people dont like to think about and are not really cognizant of.

... Over the years we have removed engine blocks, washing machines and dryers, fridges, toilets, school buses. Its just amazing what you will find in what, otherwise, you would think is a pretty pristine and even remotely accessible coastal area.

In conjunction with Environment Week, clean up activities are again scheduled in this area on Friday and Saturday.

Peddle classifies marine debris into three components.

Without sewage treatment, anything flushed down a toilet, poured down a drain or allowed to enter a storm drain ends up in the bay. Proper waste diversion is the simple, but costly, solution.

A large component of debris comes form the recreational use of the coastal areas something Peddle feels is completely avoidable.

This is something that residents and visitors to the Bay of Islands are directly responsible for leaving their litter on the coastal areas or litter in general that wind may carry to these areas, he said.

The message there is very simple enjoy the coastal areas, but take your trash back with you.

The third component is what he refers to as the most disturbing and expensive to the efforts of cleaning up the shorelines illegal dumping. These items require immense human resources, such as the rental of heavy equipment, to remove.

Marine debris is a problem for a lengthy list of reasons aesthetically, environmentally, financially, and from a public health perspective.

Peddle believes people just dont understand the impacts of their decision to litter. There is often a misconception of how long it takes certain items to biodegrade.

Many of these products would outlast the lifespan of a person, he said. I like to tell people, when their child is well grown and taking their kids to the beach area these things will still be there.