Marine life is being seriously affected in all areas due to the Consequences of Beach Pollution. Thanks to the unscrupulous activity of man in its broadest sense, it is causing a great ecological imbalance and the loss of marine biodiversity, so we must be aware of the magnitude of the damage that is being caused with each passing day. Keep reading, become aware and act in favor of nature!
Beach Pollution
Beaches, as is well known, are a deposit of unconsolidated sediments that vary between sand and gravel. They constitute a beautiful landscape and a source of enjoyment, as well as being the habitat of a variety of plants and animals. Currently these landscapes are being negatively affected by human activity, which is generating serious consequences thanks to the presence of polluting agents.
This negative impact is being reflected in the number of marine species that little by little begin to disappear and suffer from the neglect of people, urban planning and industries that end up throwing their waste into the sea. The amount of garbage that is registered on the shores of the beaches after an excellent vacation season is also evident. So we have to ask ourselves a question: are we aware of the damage we are causing?
As the population grows, the power of consumerism and irrationality have become the perfect breeding ground for the destruction of natural landscapes. The large amount of solid waste that is dumped on the shores of beaches and drains is the main cause of beach pollution.
Main Sources of Pollution
There are many causes of contamination of the beaches, where man is the only direct responsible. Nature has the property of self-purification, but there is no longer enough for this process to be mitigated, since the agents that cause pollution tend to be resistant to the effects of natural degradation that the planet has. It can be stated that there are three main sources of contamination: human faeces that can contaminate with streptococcus and Escherichia coli that tend to survive longer in seawater.
Domestic and industrial sewage and solid waste, including plastic, are the cause of high pollution in beach areas. Also, the waste released by large vessels including fuel. In addition to this, the large number of oil spills that end up destroying plants, aquatic animals and seabirds, as well as the degradation of soil and water, must be added to the list, which can affect economic and recreational activities.
Consequences of Beach Pollution
The degree of contamination of beaches in the world is generating serious consequences, especially in the marine environment, which in the same way ends up affecting human health even for the simple fact of consuming some food from the sea. Oceanic waters have been a great deposit of human waste, affecting entire ecologies.
The beaches are affected by various recreational activities where people throw disproportionate amounts of solid waste ranging from a simple cigarette butt that takes between one and two years to degrade to disposable diapers that require approximately 500 years to disappear. Many of these wastes end up being consumed by different animals, especially birds, and others become victims, for example the turtle that gets stuck in a plastic bag.
Every year hundreds of marine animals die as a result of garbage thrown indiscriminately on the beaches. The activities of these areas, such as tourism and fishing, are also affected. All this should call for reflection on the destructive behavior that human beings have had in the last century.
Process of natural degradation of debris on beaches
We have all seen amounts of garbage on the shores of the beaches, often in front of the indolent gaze of the people and government entities in charge of protecting and preserving these natural environments. The degradation process on beaches can be slow and highly polluting, such is the case of soda cans that can take a period of ten years to disappear. Steel can last up to a hundred years, plastic bottles exposed to the air can last between a hundred and a thousand years, longer if they are buried in the sand.
The most common thing to find are plastic bags, apart from contaminating they cause great damage among animals that swallow them or get entangled with them until they cause death. Its degradation process can last up to 150 years. Other objects made of polypropylene and polystyrene tend to be more resistant to this process, including disposable cups, as they take up to a thousand years to fade. In the case of glass, mostly presented in the form of a bottle, it takes an approximate period of 4 thousand years.
Public Health Risks
When the beaches reach high levels of contamination, their possibility of use is limited, whether for recreational or economic purposes, it also disfigures the aesthetic aspect, distorting the landscaping and causing irreparable damage to the natural elements that converge there. All this can turn this area into a health risk for those who visit it, since the transmission of diseases can occur through exposure routes by having contact with contaminated water, affecting ears, skin and eyes.
Health is also put at risk when infective doses of pathogens present in these waters are swallowed or aspirated or simply by eating food from it. Some beaches may be contaminated with bacteria that put bathers' health at risk. On the other hand, there are the rubbish heaps in which large numbers of mosquitoes capable of transmitting diseases proliferate. Some waste such as cans or glass can become dangerous and cause unfortunate injuries.
Actions to Avoid Beach Pollution
Humanity must begin to think and act to reverse the serious damage caused to these important natural environments. For this, it is necessary to establish rules of coexistence and sustainability that allow the beaches to be cleaned up and made suitable for the enjoyment of all. It is advisable to start by individualizing preventive awareness, respecting the environment and all the elements that compose it.
Do not throw trash. This is the simplest but most important act when it comes to caring for and preserving our beaches. For this reason, it is recommended to use bags to collect all waste and solid waste generated during the stay. Do not use the sand as a garbage can. Many people tend to place the waste and then cover it with sand knowing the damage that is being caused. Avoid throwing cigarette butts in the sand. Teach the little ones to respect the environment, so they will become responsible adults.
There are also actions that must be carried out from a government perspective and that is monitoring, in this way they can seek solutions for those sources of contamination such as sewage that end up putting human, plant and animal life at risk. Actively participate in beach conservation and preservation campaigns, become part of the group of people who help keep these environments clean.
Fun Facts about Beach Pollution
Did you know that plastic waste thrown into the sea has killed one and a half million marine animals every year? Birds consider this garbage to be food, so they try to eat it and end up dying. Marine currents drag garbage from one place to another, polluting beaches that are completely isolated. Did you know that approximately 8 tons of plastic are thrown into the sea every year?
According to a United Nations report, it is estimated that by 2050 the oceans will contain more plastic than fish. Also, it is expected that 99% of seabirds have ingested it. In the ocean there are five garbage islands along the Pacific, Atlantic and Indian Oceans.
To learn much more about The Consequences of Beach Pollution, we invite you to watch the following video.
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