• What is marine debris or litter?
• Why is it an issue?
• What can I do?

What is marine debris or litter?

Marine debris or litter can be anything we throw away in our day to day lives: fast food containers, pop cans, plastic chip and candy bags, coffee cups, tires, motor oil bottles, rope, fishing line, and many, many other items. It also includes accidental losses of equipment and materials. Its sizes range from the very big, such as abandoned heavy equipment, to the very small, such as cigarette butts or plastic pellets. Some things found on our beaches can be quite bizarre such as messages in bottles, containers from far away places, or complete car engines, just to name a few.

Why is it an issue?

We benefit from synthetic materials, such as plastics, because of their durability, low cost, and light weight. Unfortunately, these same properties pose problems for the environment. Being extremely stable, they do not readily break down but tend to remain in the marine environment for 3 to 5 years or more. Each year, debris is released into the environment and as time goes on the amount of debris in the marine environment increases. Once in the marine environment, debris harms both wildlife and people. As well, it may provide a means of transporation for invasive species. Click here for details on the problems caused by marine debris and litter.

Some items found on our beaches can be very dangerous: discarded needles, ammunition, blasting caps, firearms, or hazardous materials such as containers for toxic chemicals. Should you find any of these things, DO NOT TOUCH THEM! Report it immediately to your local police or local offices of Canadian Coast Guard, Environment Canada or provincial environment department.

What can I do?

Marine debris is basically garbage we put into the environment, be it by accident or deliberate. So, the solution is basically simple: don't put your garbage into the environment. While that is easier said than done, it is the basic premise of all the solutions to this problem. Environment Canada's Marine Debris site provides a good starting point on what can be done.