Paradise trashed, Tons of garbage washing ashore in HI

[ckf]

(CNN)The Hawaiian archipelago is in trash trouble.

Vast amounts of trash have been washing ashore on the state's once-pristine beaches.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has been trying to keep critical parts of the ocean clear of marine debris, removing 57 tons of it from the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands in 2014. This area is a part of Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument, the largest conservation site in the United States.

Despite the government agency's efforts, Hawaii continues to be plagued by trash, much of it plastic.

Originally, there was speculation that Japan's devastating 2011 tsunami had brought a wave of debris to Hawaii's islands, but recent results from an aerial survey suggest otherwise.

Plastic debris makes up nearly half of the archipelago's shoreline trash, according to a survey (PDF) that was conducted between August through November 2015 by Hawaii's Department of Land & Natural Resources (DLNR) and North Pacific Marine Science Organization.

This survey was conducted so that these groups could see how big of an impact the Japanese storm had on Hawaii. It turns out the catastrophic storm wasn't the trash culprit.

"This survey found a very limited amount of debris associated with the Japan tsunami," Suzanne Case, DLNR chairwoman, said in a statement.

So where is all this garbage coming from?

"Most of what was mapped is common, everyday items that someone haphazardly tossed onto the ground or directly into the water," Case said.

In short — it's coming from just about anywhere and everywhere.

With the way the state is positioned geographically, the ocean's current is carrying massive amounts of plastic waste to Hawaii's coast.

"These items get caught up in ocean currents and unfortunately much of it eventually lands, mostly on north and east facing shores. Hawaii is recognized around the world for our beautiful beaches. Unfortunately we cannot say they are pristine, because they've been so seriously impacted by our trash," Case added.

Threatening our environment

The increased plastic waste on Hawaii's shoreline is a big deal because it's affecting the state's wildlife. There's evidence that marine life and seabirds have been ingesting bits of plastic, which is detrimental to their health.

It's not just small pieces of plastic washing ashore. Some of this marine debris includes big items like derelict fishing gear, foam, tires, even abandoned vessels.

The survey, which was funded by the Ministry of Environment of Japan, concluded that this trash is threatening many critical habitats in and around Hawaii, such as coral reefs that harbor some unique species, like the world's biggest sponge, which was recently discovered by scientists of the state's coast.

The increased waste in Earth's oceans has been a growing problem. A great deal of plastic debris finds itself in massive garbage patches in the Pacific Ocean.

Picking up the trash

Marine debris is the huge threat to wildlife and possibly to human health. Scientists still don't know what happens to our bodies when we eat fish that have ingested microplastics — plastic that break up into tiny particles that are mistakenly eaten by marine life.

Microplastic has become such a problem for U.S. waterways, with more than 8 trillion microbeads flooding into our streams, rivers and lakes — that's enough to cover 300 tennis courts daily — that President Barack Obama signed a bipartisan bill in December prohibiting the sales and distribution of products containing microbeads.

Although the marine debris plaguing Hawaii is the most widespread type of trash in our oceans, it is also some of the most preventable waste, according to NOAA.

 

http://www.cnn.com/2016/06/03/us/hawaii-island-trash-problem-irpt/index.html

[Capt.Storm]

Plastic milk jugs suck.

[Zambroski]

Epically sad.  And gross.  

[Skidude600]

12 minutes ago, Capt.Storm said:

Plastic milk jugs suck.

I agree. I work in a plastic recycling plant. We recycle millions of pounds of plastic containers a year and boggles my mind that a vast majority of them end up in landfills and as discarded trash on highways, lakes and in the ocean.

[Capt.Storm]

Plastic bags were a bad idea from the start..least paper ones break down way faster and are carbon neutral.

[Mileage Psycho]

We are really fucking up the waterways of the world with our plastic shit.

 

[SVT MXZ XRS]

1 hour ago, Skidude600 said:

I agree. I work in a plastic recycling plant. We recycle millions of pounds of plastic containers a year and boggles my mind that a vast majority of them end up in landfills and as discarded trash on highways, lakes and in the ocean.

This is why deposits need to be put on every type of food and beverage containers   Milk jugs, water bottles , sour cream containers , etc. 

[Ebsell]

4 hours ago, SVT Renegade XRS said:

This is why deposits need to be put on every type of food and beverage containers   Milk jugs, water bottles , sour cream containers , etc. 

We have deposits on just about every plastic bottle sold here. Most milk jugs are wax cardboard 

[Jimmy Snacks]

7 hours ago, Mileage Psycho said:

We are really fucking up the waterways of the world with our plastic shit.

 

That is just fucked up.

[Capt.Storm]

5 hours ago, Ebsell said:

We have deposits on just about every plastic bottle sold here. Most milk jugs are wax cardboard 

here the gallon ones are plastic.

My wife picks up bottle and cans on the road off of our dead end street maybe once a month...you would not believe how many nickles she gets from that.

[SVT MXZ XRS]

13 minutes ago, Capt.Storm said:

here the gallon ones are plastic.

My wife picks up bottle and cans on the road off of our dead end street maybe once a month...you would not believe how many nickles she gets from that.

Even with .10 deposit here on pop cans/bottles , you still see them all over the place .   You put  a .25 deposit on every type of food and beverage containers through the entire US, you'd see a lot less litter 

[Capt.Storm]

yeah..around here go a few miles in any which direction from a fast food joint and all you will see is  crap along the road sides till the highway workers pick it up to the tune of maybe 25/hour with beanies. fawking ridiculous.

Edited June 5, 2016 by Capt.Storm

[SVT MXZ XRS]

Prisoners should be doing that job

[SnowRider]

6 hours ago, SVT Renegade XRS said:

Even with .10 deposit here on pop cans/bottles , you still see them all over the place .   You put  a .25 deposit on every type of food and beverage containers through the entire US, you'd see a lot less litter 

 Plus a $500 fine if you're caught littering.  More incentives to recycle.  

[Shifty]

What pisses me off are the fuk wads that go to the 7-11 get 3 items,and need a bag. Wtf. You can't carry that wonderbread, people magazine and pack of smokes 20' feet without a handle?!

[Sal Rosenberg]

30 minutes ago, Shifty said:

What pisses me off are the fuk wads that go to the 7-11 get 3 items,and need a bag. Wtf. You can't carry that wonderbread, people magazine and pack of smokes 20' feet without a handle?!

 

Good point .    Home Depot is one of the biggest offenders with the bags.

[Capt.Storm]

We have a Aldi's ..there you have to bring your own bags. More stores should do that.

[dirtybeacher]

My bud just wintered in Thailand.  Told me the locals dump there garbage on the beach at low tide, 12 hrs later it's washed out to sea.  Pretty sure we can point a finger at Asia as the worst offenders, mostly likely responsible for the "pacific garbage patch".  

[Jimmy Snacks]

1 hour ago, dirtybeacher said:

My bud just wintered in Thailand.  Told me the locals dump there garbage on the beach at low tide, 12 hrs later it's washed out to sea.  Pretty sure we can point a finger at Asia as the worst offenders, mostly likely responsible for the "pacific garbage patch".  

WTF.

[Capt.Storm]

[Jimmy Snacks]

Asians are fucked in the head six ways from Sunday.

[Capt.Storm]

India.

 

 

 

[Jimmy Snacks]

Fucking Hindu slobs.

[Capt.Storm]

I can hardly believe those pics.

[Mileage Psycho]

15 hours ago, Biggie Smails said:

That is just fucked up.

Yes it is, just saw guy yesterday throw some wrappers out of his car window.

2 hours ago, dirtybeacher said:

My bud just wintered in Thailand.  Told me the locals dump there garbage on the beach at low tide, 12 hrs later it's washed out to sea.  Pretty sure we can point a finger at Asia as the worst offenders, mostly likely responsible for the "pacific garbage patch".  

Without question, some real fucked up natural shit comes out of Asia to like Asian Carp, Emerald Ash Borers, Japanese Beetles, etc.