Bottles, plastic bags, facemasks litter for surgical use. They just a few of the 29,029 objects we found along the Araromi 180km. Coastline of Nigeria during the course of nine months looking into marine litter. The litter was 465.54kg. 465.54kg.
Our research conducted on the Araromi seaside in Ilaje south-west Nigeria between the months of January to September 2021. The collaboration was between researchers from the Centre for Energy Research and Development (CERD). Obafemi Awolowo University and Marine Litter Watch Nigeria, which is a volunteer group for students which aimed. At providing some baseline information about the region and add to the expanding. Collection of information on marine litter prevention and monitoring.
The study employed to calculate the clean coast index, an estimate tool that is based on scientific research. And utilized worldwide, to determine how clean the beaches are. It was classified by the beach as filthy in the dry season, and very dirty during the rainy season.
Marine Litter
Over the last 10 years in the last decade, marine litter has become an increasing global issue. That is posing a growing risk to the ecosystem, economy and the health of humans.
The world’s largest non-profit organization Ocean Conservancy reported that in 2021 approximately 9,760,227 trash items. Collected across nearly 30000km of the world’s coastline regions.
Today, only 17% of global meat production comes that comes from the ocean. However, demand expected to grow significantly. Marine litter is among the main threats to biodiversity. As well as the production of seafood as well as the economy of the sea.
Our research shown as well as other research studies, that West Africa’s ocean litter issue cannot overlooked. The region estimated to have a population of not less than 419 million and is among the continent’s fastest-growing regions, both demographically and economically.
The thousands of kilograms trash that reported to be clogging the shores in Cameroon, Nigeria, Senegal and Sierra Leone could also stymie the region’s tourism and economic expansion, while put the health of residents at risk.
Litter Piles
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration defines marine litter as objects that were created or used by humans and put in the ocean or on beaches or in rivers. It is also items that have been transported indirectly to the ocean by sewerage, rivers, storm waters or winds, or even accidentally lost at sea in storms.
Other sources of pollution include industrial emissions, discharges from storm water drains , and municipal sewage that is not treated. We at our Centre for Energy Research and Development has analyzed 29,029 beach debris items discovered at Araromi beach.
Araromi is a beach town located in Ilaje Local Government Area in Ondo State, south-west Nigeria. It covers 3,300 square kilometers, and lies 238km away from Nigeria’s largest and most popular city Lagos. There are more than 82 fishing communities along the coast, because boat-making and fishing are major sources of revenue for the Ilaje population.
The purpose of this research was demonstrate that the remote communities with fewer people along the coastline are not protected from the effects of marine debris.
According to the index of cleanliness, the beach was filthy in the dry season (7,358 trash items, 141.3kg) but was extremely filthy during the rainy season (21,671 litter pieces; 324.24kg). This means that rain is a key reason for the movement of litter from the inland area to the marine environment via numerous channels of water.
Glass Metals Litter
The things we discovered included glass metals as well as plastic (beverage bottles caps, disposable cups and cutlery) as well as abandoned fishing equipment ropes and wooden canoes textiles, cigarettes butts along with medical trash (syringes and facemasks, hospital PPE IV drip bottles and pads for sanitary use) as well as other trash.
The majority of the objects were household waste, which improperly removed. Some of the items were a result of recreation (tourist) or fishing activity (economic aspects).
In a similar study in 2016 on the lagoon beaches in Ghana the deposition of large amounts of litter (49,457 objects) in the period of rain was noted. The reason for this was due to the runoff from rivers and flooding. The majority of the litter made of plastic.
Nigeria Ghana and Nigeria Ghana are both in both sides of the Gulf of Guinea, which has a coastline that is approximately 6000km between Senegal through Angola. The Gulf coast is home to the highest population density in the tropical Africa. It is also the center of increasing industrial and commercial activities. It is a zone of shipping for gas and oil, and also for goods coming to as well as from southern and central Africa. There is a lack of effective garbage disposal and management systems and guidelines. These factors contribute to the current state of beach cleanliness , and the potential growth in the problem in the event that nothing done about it.
Potential Interventions
First, regular and coordinated cleanup efforts – by NGOs, government agencies or even volunteers. We didn’t see any of them in our time at Araromi. There were no bins for rubbish that beach-goers could make use of. A coordinated effort between fishing communities could tackle the removal of abandoned and outdated fishing equipment.
At all levels of government, it is essential to raise awareness about the hazards of marine litter as well as the policy, legal as well as institutional structures that regulate it. Local communities will be able to recognize that natural resources such as lagoons and beaches are part of their heritage, and should protected.
Manufacturers required to engaged in the monitoring and cleanup the waste they generate (extended producer accountability, also known as EPR). They must also involved in awareness programs and fund cleaning-up initiatives.
The most important thing is that manufacturers have to come up with innovative materials. That can be eco-friendly for their packaging of their products.