MARINE LITTER

Any solid material manufactured or processed by humans and discarded or abandoned that reaches the sea or coastal areas is considered marine litter. It comes mainly from the terrestrial environment, with diverse origins and multiple and varied entry routes, and its impacts are one of the great socioenvironmental and socioeconomic challenges that human beings face, affecting to a greater or lesser degree the international waters and ocean beds and the coasts and territorial waters of all the littoral countries of the planet.

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The global nature of the problem makes it necessary to raise awareness and participation of the different socioeconomic sectors of the society as a whole to promote the necessary actions and measures to contribute to its prevention and reduction. Various changes are being proposed both nationally and internationally, from changes in consumption habits, changes in techniques and ways of designing and manufacturing products, improvements in waste management and recycling, among others, which are converging on the concept of circular economy.

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This socioeconomic model, which aims for the value of products, materials and resources to be maintained within the economy for as long as possible, minimising waste generation and improving efficiency in the use of raw materials, requires coordination and participation of all socioeconomic actors, from the productive, distribution and transport and marketing sectors, to consumers or users, with the support and control of government entities and international organisations.

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Chelonia Association, aware of the seriousness of this problem that affects marine and coastal species and ecosystems, including human being, is carrying out actions aimed at preventing and reducing the amount of waste that arrives or is already in the seas, through monitoring of litter on coastal lines, cleaning of beaches and aquatic environments, cleaning of bottoms and coastal areas close to marine reserves, monitoring of garbage impact on sea turtles, training and environmental awareness work with students, the fishing and port sectors, as well as with civil society in general, among others.