Fishing Gear is a Small Part
of Ocean Trash

April 22, 2014 marks Earth Day around the world – and since Earth Day began in 1970, trash pickup has been a tradition.

Over the past 25 years, the Ocean Conservancy’s International Coastal Cleanup has become the world’s largest volunteer effort for ocean health. Nearly nine million volunteers from 152 countries have cleaned more than 150 million pounds of trash from the shores of lakes, streams, rivers, and the ocean on just one day each year.

To document what is being dumped, the Conservancy has cataloged the trash into more than 7 million items. The results?

Roughly 6 percent of the trash pulled from ocean waters was fishing gear. The most trash – 57% – came from food wrappings and beverage containers, also cups, plates and plastic eating utensils. More than 9.5 million plastic bottles were collected, 8 million plastic bags, and 1.2 million balloons.

Thirty three percent of the ocean’s trash came from smokers – 53 million cigarette butts, filters and cigar tips were collected over the past 25 years. The conclusion is that there is a general disregard for what’s being tossed.

There are some good signs that the tide is turning on trash. Nearly 80% of those surveyed in a recent Gallup Poll said they have made lifestyle changes to protect the environment. And five years ago the UN officially designated June 8 as World Oceans Day.

– Ocean Conservancy