1. by Alexia Abdilla Grade 5 Green St. Monica School, Birkirkara
MARINE LITTER by
Alexia Abdilla
Grade 5 Green
St. Monica School, Birkirkara

2. Marine litter also called debris refers to any man-made waste that finds itself floating in the sea or waterway. This can happen:
Directly example when people throw things in the sea or
Indirectly example with storms that wash out materials in the sea from the streets

3. Marine litter has become a problem along shores, coasts and oceans throughout the world.
Objects range from:
detergent bottles
medical wastes
fishing lines and nets
plastic

4. The most common type of objects that are considered as litter in our sea are:
plastic bags
bottles and cans
cigarette filters
plastic lighters
bottle caps and lids

5. From where does marine litter come from?
Trash which is not recycled or thrown away properly. This can be carried to the sea when it rains.
Trash left behind on beaches after a day at the beach.
Ships and boats at sea who throw or drop unwanted things and cargo ships who lose containers at sea usually during storms
Fisherman who lose or discard large fishing nets, ropes and lines in the sea

6. Why is marine litter a serious problem?
It pollutes the water and can make people sick
Apart from making beaches look ugly and dirty, trash on beaches can be harmful to the health and safety of beach users
Animals like seals, sea turtles, crabs and fish can be wounded or unable to swim if they become tangled in sea litter
Also sea animals can swallow or eat pieces of plastic or other bad material by mistake, causing death
It is dangerous to ships and boats when they get stuck, hit or tangled in debris

7. What is being done to prevent marine litter?
Several programmes are organised around the world to raise awareness about the problem of sea litter
Local clean up campaigns on beaches and under the sea
International law and policies for cargo and navy ships that prohibit throwing plastic wastes overboard
Research studies are continuously done
to assess why this problem is
increasing and what should be
done to reduce it

8. How can I help? Proper recycling or reuse materials
at home and at school
Choose products which can be recycled or with little or no packaging
Do not throw waste in the streets or on the beach
Keep rain water drains clean
Never put oil or chemicals down the drain, these will contaminate our sea
Participate in cleaning-up programmes at school, on beaches or in our villages
Be responsible with plastic litter when near the sea, as one act of a second will take many years to solve itself
Educate friends and family about what consists of litter in the sea

9. Conclusion Marine litter is a terrible problem around the world.
It hurts and kills fish and marine life, is a hazard for ships and is harmful to humans.
The best solution to reduce this problem is that everyone has to be careful and start disposing of waste more carefully.