International Coastal Cleanup Day 2011 Collects 9 Million Pounds Of Garbage

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Volunteers around the world collected nearly 9 million pounds of cigarettes, bottles and other trash during a coastal cleanup campaign last year, according to a report released Tuesday.

The garbage was picked up by nearly 600,000 volunteers who scoured more than 20,000 miles of coastline on Sept. 17 for the 2011 International Coastal Cleanup, according to the Ocean Conservancy, which organized the 26th annual event.

The top five types of trash found were cigarettes, beverage lids, plastic bottles, plastic bags and food containers. Volunteers found 94,000 balloons, 267,000 items of clothing and 940,000 pieces of food packaging, the report said.

"Our volunteers picked up enough food packaging for a person to get takeout for breakfast, lunch and dinner every day for the next 858 years," Ocean Conservancy CEO Vikki Spruill said in a statement. "Ocean trash is human-generated, preventable and one of the biggest threats to our ocean and waterways."

Spruil said people should take responsibility for their trash by discarding it properly and using reusable bags and containers.

Thousands of marine mammals, sea turtles and birds are injured or killed by ocean debris every year, conservationists say.

Over the past 26 years, the annual cleanup effort has led to the removal of 153 million pounds of garbage from beaches, coastlines and waterways around the world, according to the Ocean Conservancy.

In addition to ordinary litter, the Pacific Coast of North America could soon be hit with debris from the massive earthquake and tsunami that struck Japan last year.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said recently that tsunami debris could reach Hawaii this winter and the western United States and Canada in 2013 and 2014.

CORRECTION: An earlier HuffPost headline incorrectly stated the quantity of trash collected on September 17, 2011 as 9 millions tons rather than pounds.

Comments

[boxjelly]

03:32 PM on 03/28/2012

I live on the beach in SE NC. I grow weary of having to clean up after all the tourists from Northern blue states come down and trash my beach every summer

[debberae]

02:14 PM on 03/28/2012

Every time I walk on the beach I take several plastic bags to pick up the trash that others have left behind. I spend more time picking things up than I do actually walking. Of course the beaches are not the only places that people throw their trash. Set a good example for your children and teach them not to litter.

[J Harlin]

07:24 AM on 03/28/2012

Wonderful effort by all those involved. It is heartening to think there are people trying to make a difference. Just like in the 70s when so many of us were out there doing stream clean-ups. It is hopeful to me that there are some young people who get the whole environmental movement. Kudos to all of them!

[J Rupel]

02:13 AM on 03/28/2012

"9 Million Pounds Of Coastal Garbage"--I'm not a scientist but I'm pretty sure San Fransisco weighs more than that...

[Kommonman]

12:26 AM on 03/28/2012

While I applaud their efforts and concerns it is not even a drop in the bucket...

[MrBIgp]

01:13 PM on 03/27/2012

Thank you for correcting the headline.

[satyrday]

01:06 PM on 03/27/2012

9 million tons?

You can find nearly that much on the Republican side of the House of Representatives. Somebody should clean that out.

[dumocraps]

02:29 PM on 03/27/2012

9 million pounds not tons, besides either would be on the left in Congress and the White House.

[satyrday]

02:47 PM on 03/27/2012

If I had a nickel for every time a repub copied my joke, and thought they were funny, I'd be Mitt Romney.