Radio Taiwan International
Date: 2018-08-28
A survey of marine trash around Taiwan’s coast has found that the large number of beach
Not all beaches get the same level of attention from beach clean up activities, a new survey has found. (Photo by CNA)
cleanups held each year have had only a limited impact.
The two-week survey was conducted in July by Greenpeace and local organization the Society of Wilderness. It involved taking samples from stations set up at 10-kilometer intervals around the whole of Taiwan’s coastline.
The first report on the survey was released Tuesday. In it, the two organizations estimate that enough garbage lines Taiwan’s coastline to fill over 2,000 garbage trucks.
Over 500 beach cleanup events take place in Taiwan each year. But a Greenpeace project manager says most are only held in places that are easily accessible by bus. Much of the trash around Taiwan is stuck among concrete Tetrapod blocks used to block waves, and among coral.
The survey found a strong imbalance in the geographic distribution of marine garbage. 56% of garbage found was on just 10% of coastline. New Taipei, Tainan and Chiayi had especially high concentrations. Plastic bottles, fishing gear and nets, as well as other single-use plastic objects accounted for much of the trash. The Greenpeace project manager called on the government to control the sources of pollution and clean up pollution hot spots. [FULL STORY]
