Effects

What are the effects of beach litter?
Litter can harm fragile ecosystems by the shore, as well as kill organisms directly. Littered beaches are less attractive, and business can fail if they are near littered beaches. Litter on beaches can spread inland. Litter can accumulate

Whos responsible?

This depends on who owns the beaches. People with establishments near the beach or who own parts of the beach, such as resorts, find it economically beneficial as well as practical to clean beaches. The city and state is also in part responsible for the mantainence of public beaches, since the EPA sets standards for beaches for the state. However, public beaches need to be maintained by the public as well. The state cannot monitor and maintain the entire shoreline, so for the benefit of all, the people need to cooperate to keep beaches clean

What kinds of litter are at beaches

Because many products are stored in plastic, a large amount of plastics are seen at the beach. Plastic bottles, wrappers and containers are all common. Additionally, because lots of drinks are consumed, glass and metal bottles are also everywhere. Papers are there, and cigarette butts . If dumping occurs, the range of litter is even wider.

Why do people choose to litter?

People choose to litter due to convenience, ignorance and the lack of adequate infrastructure. It is extremely easy to get rid of waste products by simply throwing them on the ground. It requires less energy than having to find a trash can or recycling bin. People prefer to be lazy, which is why it is essential for the proper infrastructure, such as trash can, to be near people so that they are inclined to dispose of their trash properly. Without sufficient cans, even people who wish to dispose of trash the right way will have no physical way of doing so. Finally, ignorance plays a huge roll, in that people are unaware of the potential affects their litter can cause. The death of wildlife, the accumulation of litter, the degradation of areas, and even the spread of disease can all be attributed with litter. People often think that one piece of trash can have no impact. However, repeated incidents over a portion of a population can be extremely detrimental.