Beckles launches international Coastal Clean-up 2005

She revealed this information during her feature address to launch the International Coastal Clean-up 2005 at the Environmental Management Authority (EMA) headquarters, Port-of-Spain. "In 2004, 518 volunteers," she said, "participated in the removal of litter and marine debris from the following eight coastal locations during the period of September 18 to October 17."

She said the eight beaches were Salybia, Chagville, Matelot, Las Cuevas, Tyrico, Guayaguayare, Great Courland Bay and Offshore Tobago.

"In commemoration of this year’s event," stated the minister, "clean-up activities have been extended to three additional areas, inclusive of one river. The additional areas are Caura River, Welcome Bay and Belle Garden Bay, Tobago."

She revealed that the 2004 coastal clean-up activities confirmed some trends related to the indiscriminate dumping of waste by citizens.

"The data gathered has shown that plastic bottles and other plastic waste such as cups, utensils and plates accounted for 93 percent of the debris found at popular beaches around TT." Beckles said the non-biodegradable nature of plastic containers severely affects the environment over a long period. "In Trinidad and Tobago," she remarked, "one obvious example of this negative impact is flooding, and these containers can also collect rain water and provide breeding grounds for mosquitoes."

Beckles said the EMA has drafted the Beverage Containers Bill which is intended to encourage the reuse and recycling of container waste and to discourage citizens from using plastic containers to litter the environment.

"The Bill introduces a deposit/refund scheme on beverage containers and provides for the regulation by the EMA of the distribution of beverages in containers by bottlers," said Beckles. She said coastal debris is detrimental to marine and aquatic ecosystems by accumulating yearly, and damaging sensitive underwater habitats.

"Thousands of wildlife and fish are killed by ingesting the debris," she said, "some of the plastic debris collected in 2004 can be mistaken for food items, especially by the globally endangered marine turtles nesting on the country’s beaches."

She said the coastal clean-up exercise also reinforces the non-governmental organisation and governmental co-management approach to improving the state of the environment.