Finally, trash on beaches in Puerto Rico

is a problem that needs to be addressed

since, thousands of pounds of trash have
been collected year after year with no
reduction. We need to take action
because the well-being of the wildlife
and oceans are in our hands.

By:
Mai
rim
Orti
z
Fra
gua
da

Works Cited
(Ojo del Buey, Dorado)

Coastal cleanups
Innovative redesign of products
and packaging
Cash for Trash Program- A
small deposit fee which will be
refunded if visitor returns trash
(Martinez L. B., 2012).
Campaigns to educate public
Butt deposit Sold cigarettes
with a deposit that will be
refunded when the they are
returned to the vender (Novotny,
Lum, Smith, Wang, & Barnes,
2009)

Martinez, L. B. (2012, February 27). McClatchy Tribune

Business News. ABI/INFORM Complete, p. 1.
Retrieved
from
http://uprm.edu/library/relay.php?url={URL}/d
ocview/923553686?accountid=28498
Novotny, T. E., Lum, K., Smith, E., Wang, V., & Barnes,
R. (2009). Cigarettes Butts and the Case for an
Environmental Policy on Hazardous Cigarette
Waste. International Journal of Environmental
Research and Public Health, 6(5), 16911705.
Retrieved from
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC

(Pine Groove, Isla Verde)

2697937/
Ocean Conservancy. (2013). Working for clean beaches and
clean water. Retrieved from Ocean Conservancy:
http://www.oceanconservancy.org/ourwork/international-coastal-cleanup/2013-trashfree-seas-report.pdf
Ocean Conservancy. (2015). International Coastal Cleanup.
Retrieved March 26, 2016, from Ocean
Conservancy:
http://www.oceanconservancy.org/ourwork/marine-debris/2015-data-release/2015data-release-pdf.pdf

All images from

facebook.com/scubadogsociety

TRASH ON
BEACHES IN
PUERTO RICO
By: Mairim OrtizFraguada

Problems, Background
information and Solutions

How does this affect the

environment?

(Palo Seco, Toa Baja)

What is the problem?

Trash on beaches continues to increase
and cause greater harm to the
environment. Many people are unaware
how their daily activities, including
going to the beach, affect the
environment, plants and animals, even
those miles away. Beachgoers leave
their trash, cigarette butts and other
items on the beach oblivious to the fact
that it can harm or kill organisms on the
beach.

Animals can become entangled in

larger items like discarded fishing nets,
rope, plastic bags and plastic from
drinks. They may also eat pieces of
trash [] can cause serious digestion
problems and often death. (Ocean
Conservancy, 2015). Research shows
that plastics in the ocean may absorb
chemical contaminants from the
surrounding water and pass these
toxins to animals when they are
ingested (Ocean Conservancy, 2015).

Our oceans have become a

dumping ground throughout
the world, and we must do
something to change that []
Jim Kennedy (Ocean conservancy, 2015)

Cigarette butts are very toxic and nonbiodegradable litter, which pose a very
serious litter and toxic waste disposal
problem. (Novotny, Lum, Smith,
Wang, & Barnes, 2009).

Cups and
Plates
(plastic)
29,381

Cigarette
Butts,
63,997

Plastic
Bottles
(plastic),
56,910

Top three items found in

beaches in Puerto Rico in
2014 (Ocean Conservancy, 2015)
Around 123,218 pounds of trash was
collected during a coastal cleanup in
Puerto Rico in 2014 and 115,380
pounds in 2013. And, 482,848 items
collected. (Ocean Conservancy, 2015;
2013)

What are some

solutions?

Restrict smoking or prohibit

Increase fines and penalties for
littering butts
Use of attractive signs
Available recycling containers
on the beach