Let me start off by asking a few questions.

Did you know that over half the litter found on our beaches is plastic?

Did you know that it takes 8 weeks for an apple core and 100 years for a cigarette butt to decompose?

And did you know that 40% of all the litter found on beaches has been dropped by beach visitors?   

What is Coastal Litter?

Coastal litter includes all objects that do not naturally occur in the marine and coastal environment but are nevertheless found there.

It is also known to be marine litter, which is the collective term for any man-made object present in the coastal environment.

Coastal litter can blow around, remain floating on the water surface or sink to the deep seabed.

And if you are going to have a quick look at the litter you will find on the Malaysian's shoreline.

And broadly there are 4 main ingredients including Seaweed, Leaves, Cigarette butt, and a cocktail of plastics and man-made rubbish.

(a) Seaweed:

Not all debris found on beaches are bad litter some are good.That decaying smelly seaweed plays a role in ensuring the health and cleanliness of the shore.

(b) Leaves:

Leaves mainly remained where they fell and are washed into stormwater drains and brought into the shoreline.

(c) Cigarette Butts

Cigarette butts are a serious matter. The problem we now have is a consequence of bans on indoor smoking. It?s estimated that 350,000 butts go into Malaysian?s coastal area each day.

(d) Man-made rubbish & Plastics

Everywhere and what usually most of all use to create in our daily life.      

The Coastal Litter Problems

Coastal litter is complex. And the Malaysia's coastal litter problem is more complex because the Malaysian coastal area is in a closed system.

What goes into the coastal area stays there, unless it is "digested" by the coastal ecosystem.

1) Ingestion:

An estimated of 100 000 marine mammals, turtles, and sea birds are killed by plastic litter around the world. Most of the marine animals also mistake plastic items for usual food, which if ingested can cause starvation and poisoning.

2) Entrapped:

Animals may become entrapped in discard or lost nets, trapping bands, systems of packaging drink cans and ropes or threads which can cause flesh wounds and drowning.

3) Tourism:

Marine waste is an eyesore on our shores and may involve a disaffection of beaches by the tourists.

Coastal Litter Reduction Strategies

And how can the coastal litter problems being addressed?

The strategies to clean up coastal litter include:

(a) Litter traps

Installation traps which catch litter in drains and water courses before it gets to coasts.

(b) Water Sensitive Urban Design

Specifically designed to ensure storm water entering water ways meets environmental standards.

(c) Education and Community Awareness Raising

Messages that are often repeated have more impact and are better remembered

We needed slogans, logos, media releases and stories that would be heard and seen right around the bay and the coast.

(d) Beach Cleanups & Campaigns

Recycling or reuse of the material retrieved is encouraged

I think the note above gives you a short peek into the world of ocean beauty and I simply hope that none of us will litter and pollute our natural beaches.

In a nutshell, please think twice before trying to litter our coastal ocean. You should either you Bin It or Swim In It?