Controlling Aquatic Litter, by Dr. Adrian Lawler

Controlling Aquatic Litter

Adrian Lawler, Ph.D.
(retired) Aquarium Supervisor (l984-l998) J. L. Scott Aquarium Biloxi, Ms 39530

Original to Aquarticles (A previously published Letter to Editor is included at end)

Introduction

I have lived on two of the northeast branches of Week's Bayou leading to the Mississippi Sound, in Ocean Springs, Mississippi, USA since 1973. I have picked up many tons of litter and organic debris off my fences, backed up by my fences (which cross the bayou to keep my farm animals in and dogs out), out of the bayou branches, off the flooded land, and along the road at my house. I have made personal observations concerning litter over the years.

In the case of the bayou, most of the material washing out is organic debris of leaves, limbs, grass clippings, dead animals, various organics, etc. (Figures 1, 2, 3). Sediment (mostly sand) and particulate matter are also transported. Man-made litter of plastics (including foam), paper, and metal drink cans is common, and in that order by number of items (Figures 2, 3).

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Discussion

From my observations, the major portion of litter in our waterways is due to people throwing trash out of cars, plus animals (raccoons, dogs, foxes, gulls, crows, and other wildlife), and wind and storms turning over garbage cans/ripping open trash bags and then scattering the trash. The resulting scattered litter is then not properly picked back up and returned to trash cans but is washed down the drainage ditches into local waters. Depending on the wind, tide, and water currents, the litter is then dispersed to various beaches, marshes, etc. "Land-based sources cause 80% of the marine debris found on our beaches and waters." http://www.eoearth.org/article/Marine_debris

Aquatic litter can adversely affect the organisms living in the water. It is well documented that animals can become entangled and die from drowning or injury, they can become encircled and constricted by loops (as with six-pack rings), and they can ingest litter and die from an impacted digestive tract, etc. One reference is: http://seawifs.gsfc.nasa.gov/OCEAN_PLANET/HTML/peril_marine_debris.html

So, in addition to being unsightly, litter can be dangerous to our aquatic life. Litter control should be a concern for all of us. Fish, turtles, and birds injured by litter are sometimes treated and rehabilitated at aquariums and animal rescue centers. We had many such animals brought to the Scott Aquarium. They were mostly fish and turtles that had six-pack rings around them, various rings like gaskets or rubber bands, or net material. Birds mostly had problems with fishing lines and ingested foams and plastics.

I suspect that human, and animal, disease organisms can also be dispersed via litter/trash/garbage/organics being washed into waters downstream from drainage ditches. Humans going into such waters may expose themselves to a wide range of disease organisms.

If the ditches are cleaned and trash from garbage cans picked up, then the trash deposited on our beaches will be reduced. You can also reduce the number of raccoons and enforce leash laws to reduce turned over cans and scattered trash. But cities will find it difficult to control the raccoons, the foxes, and the dogs that roam our streets at will.

Some cities mow along roads without picking up the trash. Is it better to have the trash intact and hold water for breeding mosquitoes, or is it better to shred the trash with a mower into many small pieces that do not hold water and maybe break down faster? If cities are NOT going to pick up trash, then, in my opinion, it is better to shred the trash with the mowers and thus decrease breeding places for mosquitoes.

Our cities do not have enough money to:
…constantly pick up trash from roads and ditches.
…have animal control officers working 24 hrs/day.
…control wildlife populations living on our garbage.

Solutions:

…place plastic bags containing trash in cans so they are not ripped open and the contents scattered by
animals.
…design non-spill garbage cans that will not spill contents when turned over.
…install litter collection systems along all waterways and drainage pipes which will collect and concentrate
litter (See references listed below.).
…clean trash from ditches before it is washed downstream into bigger bodies of water.
…reduce massive raccoon populations in our cities.
…keep dogs from running loose in cities.
…increase educational programs on the causes and problems of litter.
…use properly placed fencing to reduce litter transport downstream.
…see my previously published letter below for one solution for all litter.

Various machines, and litter separating designs, etc. are available to collect litter from ditches or stormwaters. See some examples at the following sites:

http://www.caliberequipment.com/MADVAC.htm

http://www.loc-gov-focus.aus.net/editions/1997/june/green/litter.shtml

http://www.soe.uoguelph.ca/webfiles/wjames/homepage/Teaching/661/wj661M10W00.html

http://www.iwaponline.com/wst/03902/wst039020085.htm

http://www.computationalhydraulics.com/Training/Courses/ISWM2004/ISWM2004M3.html

http://www.freepatentsonline.com/6379541.html

http://www.dot.ca.gov/dist07/Publications/Storm_Drain/

Summary

Litter can cause harm to many forms of aquatic life. Control of litter depends on designing spill proof garbage cans, designing litter extraction/collection methods for stormwater and drainage ditches, education of people, control of dogs, control of wildlife populations, and strong enough litter laws that will discourage littering in the first place.

++++++++++++++

Oceanic and land litter laws are hard to enforce. My solution (in letter below) would enable enforcement.

Below is a copy of my letter to the Editor of the SunHerald newspaper of Biloxi-Gulfport, Mississippi, USA: The Sun Herald, 9 Sept 2000, Letters to Editor, p. D2.

Here's a way to solve the litter problem

Much money and effort is spent on picking up trash. I present my solution to the litter problem everywhere. Comments received thus far include "Big Brother," "invasion of privacy," and "the authorities wouldn't care about matching people up to their pollution anyhow." But I'll present my ideas anyway to expand the discussion; something like this will probably be done in our future.

My solution has the added bonuses of increasing money for governments, assisting greatly in crime solving, helping find owners of stolen property, decreasing illegal dumps, decreasing shoplifting , decreasing employee theft. Just follow these steps:

--Expand bar codes on all items to include lot number and item number in that lot.

--All items inside a package would have the same bar code (or microchip).

--Add identity bar code to all driver's licenses, credit/debit cards, etc.

--When items are bought, even with cash, scan identity code with purchases. This ties a person to an item, plus gives the buyer a record of his purchase in case of theft.

--Add all purchase and identity info to a database. Only people from trash commission and law enforcement to have access.

--Authorize trash bounty hunters, and pay them to bring trash to a central location. (This would force people to pick up trash in their own yards so it would not be washed or blown to another location. It would also force people to bag their trash so it would not blow out of vehicles hauling trash.)

--Scan the trash to find original buyer.

--Fine person for each piece of trash picked up.

My ideas would tie a person to the trash. It would force people to be responsible for their own trash, so they wouldn't be fined. There are many other bonuses. A downside would be the decrease of privacy of the individual - because everything you buy could be tracked back to you.

ADRIAN R. LAWLER Ocean Springs

Author Information must remain with article