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CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION FROM THE NEW PRESIDENT AND CEO ........................................... 3 MESSAGE FROM THE ICC NATIONAL COORDINATOR................................................ 4 INTRODUCTION ......................................................................................................................... 6 THE INTERNATIONAL COASTAL CLEANUP .................................................................................. 6 THE VOLUNTEER NETWORK ........................................................................................................ 7 DATA COLLECTION....................................................................................................................... 7 DATA ANALYSIS ........................................................................................................................... 7 THE 2012 ICC RESULTS ........................................................................................................... 8 PEOPLE, POUNDS, MILES ...................................................................................................... 9 A SNAPSHOT OF MARINE DEBRIS COLLECTED ........................................................... 11 TOP TEN DEBRIS .................................................................................................................... 14 OUTCOME OF ICC ..................................................................................................................... 15 BEST PRACTICES: 10 WAYS WE CAN DO TO STOP MARINE DEBRIS .................... 17 ICC INSTITUTIONAL PARTNERS (2012) ........................................................................ 18 GOVERNMENT SECTOR ............................................................................................................... 18 PRIVATE SECTOR......................................................................................................................... 18 2012 ICC SPONSORS.............................................................................................................. 18
TABLE 1. PARTICIPATING PROVINCES IN THE 2012 ICC ................................................................... 10 TABLE 2. TOTAL DEBRIS ITEMS COLLECTED ..................................................................................... 12 TABLE 3. TOP TEN DEBRIS ............................................................................................................... 14 FIGURE 1. PHILIPPINES' ICC PARTICIPATION, 1994-2012 .................................................................. 6 FIGURE 2. PARTICIPATION BY CLEANUP TYPE (%) ........................................................................... 11 FIGURE 3. ACTIVITY-BASED DEBRIS (%)........................................................................................... 13 FIGURE 4. SOURCES OF TOP TEN DEBRIS ........................................................................................ 15
VADM DANILO G.CABALDE PCGA National Auxiliary Director Philippine Coast Guard Auxiliary
INTRODUCTION
The International Coastal Cleanup
The International Coastal Cleanup (ICC) engages people to remove trash and debris from beaches, lakes, rivers and waterways; to identify the sources of debris and to change the behaviors that cause pollution. It is a global initiative to raise the profile of the marine debris concerns and dramatize the consequences on the continuing aggravation in both developed and developing countries. Launched in 1986 by the Ocean Conservancy (formerly, the Center for Marine Conservation), the ICC is held every third Saturday of September in over 100 countries, 34 U.S. states and locations. What makes the ICC unique, aside from the simultaneous and coordinated global execution, is the emphasis on organized scientific data collection. Volunteers are requested, not only to pick up trash but also to count every item collected and record in a standardized data card. Information generated through On-line Data Collection or Reporting Tool is analyzed by pollution specialists who are racing against time to develop sound solutions to the marine debris problem. Marine debris endangers the health of humans, entangles sea wildlife, causes high wildlife casualties due to choking, suffocation, and poses danger to water navigation. In a span of nineteen (19) years, the ICC in the Philippines has achieved continuing success due to our enthusiastic and energetic volunteers, coordinators and institutional partners from the government and the private sector for their willingness to be part of the solution, not the problem. From 1994 - 2012, there are 3,103,062 volunteers in the country who have participated in the ICC (Figure 1). The Philippines continued to rise and with unprecedented volunteer turnout of 638,082 volunteers in the year 2000 - a record high which earned our recognition as the Cleanup Capital of the World.
Figure 1. Philippines' ICC Participation, 1994-2012
Data Collection
For 25 years, ICC volunteers have recorded every item found: 166,144,420 items in all. This accounting of trash picked up in just a few hours each year has raised awareness about ocean trash and informed policies to address it. Ocean Conservancy accepts data collected from Cleanups throughout September and October for inclusion in the annual marine debris report. Volunteers log each item found on the standardized data card, available in nine languages. They tally 43 items commonly found and can write in items of local concern and weird finds like suitcases and chandeliers. Coordinators for each country, location, and state submit the data to Ocean Conservancy; an online data entry system streamlines the process and helps ensure accuracy. The data are published annually in the Ocean Trash Index, the only item-by item, location-by-location accounting of whats trashing our ocean.
Data Analysis
Each year, Ocean Conservancy breaks down the data by country, location, and US state using reports generated by the Online Data Collection and Reporting Tool. The data provide a snapshot of what was removed from a certain location on one day. The long-term, global nature of collection makes the data effective for educating the public, business, industry, and governments about the sources and types of trash impacting ocean health. To assess long-term trends in the Cleanup, Ocean Conservancy has engaged Applied Marine Science, Inc., to evaluate ICCs 25-year data set using the most appropriate statistical methods. The goal is to identify trends in specific trash items over time and in different parts
of the world so that we can understand the full extent of the problem and determine whether we are making progress toward solutions.
The 27 International Coastal Cleanup (ICC) last September 15, 2012 was held simultaneously in 97 countries and locations. The Ocean conservancys ICC has mobilized more than 560,000 volunteers, collected more than 10,000,000 pounds of trash and cleaned 17,719 miles of coastal beaches and inland waterways. Among the top ten participating nd rd countries and locations outside the United States, the Philippines (2 ), Canada (3 ) and th Hong Kong (4 ) had the greatest turnout. This significant result is attributed to the organized efforts of the ICC coordinators, sponsors and volunteers from the government, private sectors, academic institutions, local government and local communities. While the Cleanup generally takes place on the third Saturday in September, the Philippines conducted its nationwide ICC last October 6, 2012 to give ample time for ICC Coordinators affected by the wrath of southwest monsoon Habagat. The event started in various parts of the country by kick-off ceremonies with simple parades and programs, dedicating the day as a commitment for environmental advocacy our way to bring back oceans health. Local government officials called on their local constituents to continue the tradition emphasizing responsible stewardship and rational environmental governance. Starting off after the brief kick-off ceremonies, our energetic volunteers proceeded to their designated cleanup sites to remove the trash/debris found along the shores, rivers and waterways. They segregated and recorded information on the various debris items collected following the standardized ICC data card. Other biodegradable items, such as, coconut husks, wood, branches and leaves were also removed for aesthetic purposes. The local government in their respective cities/municipalities provided garbage trucks to haul the sacks and sacks of trash and debris collected after the cleanup. Overall, the 2012 ICC was another success with huge volunteer turnouts in the provinces of Batangas, Zambales, Palawan and Bulacan. Likewise, new volunteers were added to the litter army to support the trash free seas movement.
th
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35
Batangas Zambales Palawan Bulacan Cebu Quezon Catanduanes Manila Cavite Leyte Nueva Ecija Negros Oriental La Union Albay Pampanga Masbate Lanao Del Norte Mindoro Occidental Pangasinan Western Samar Aurora Paraaque Sulu Camarines Sur Davao Del Sur Tarlac Northern Samar Samar Marinduque Southern Leyte Bohol Agusan Del Norte Ilocos Sur Cagayan de Oro Davao Oriental Volunteers who submitted directly to Ocean Conservancy TOTALS
764 143,946
40,616.26 1,342,961.36
834.57
147,752
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0.2% 5.6%
94.2%
Underwater cleanup at Kapuntukan Reef, Legaspi City (Bicol Scuba Diver Foundation)
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DEBRIS ITEM SHORELINE/RECREATIONAL ACTIVITIES bags (paper) bags (plastic) balloons bottles (plastic) 2 liters or less beverage bottles (glass) beverage cans caps, lids cloth/shoes/slippers cups, plates, forks, knives, spoons food wrappers/containers pull tabs 6-pack holders shotgun shells / wadding straws, stirrers toys
QUANTITY 1299476 66681 140811 8855 76175 106596 9820 113313 104229 124058 263472 1568 2836 2103 253352 25607 364217 11086 12382 7945 4875 1308 59936 10135 22796 5777 6702 1137 129609 75669 14860 18% 238436 160350 28711 28795 20580 Shoreline/Recreational Activities 20081 1567 6067 8350 962 514 2621 141205 2470 114854 1293 22588 63% 12% 1% 7% DEBRIS SOURCE Shoreline/Recreational Activities Ocean/Waterway Activities Smoking-Related Activities Dumping Medical/Personal Hygiene TOTAL QUANTITY 1299476 364217 238436 20081 141205 2063415 PERCENT 63 18 12 1 7 100
OCEAN/WATERWAY ACTIVITIES bait containers / packaging bleach / cleaner bottles buoys / floats crab / lobster / fish traps crates fishing line fishing lures fishing nets light bulbs / tubes oil / lube bottles pallets plastic sheeting / tarps rope strapping bands
SMOKING-RELATED cigarettes / cigarette filters cigarette lighters cigar tips (plastic) tobacco packaging / wrappers DUMPING ACTIVITIES appliances (refrigerators, washers, etc.) batteries building materials cars / car parts 55-gal. Drums tires
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About 63% of the total debris in the 2012 cleanup can be accounted to shoreline and recreational activities (Figure 3). Kinds of trash associated include, food wrappers/ containers, beverage bottles (plastic or glass), beverage can, caps/lids, plastic spoons/forks/knives, straws/stirrers, toys; cloth/slippers/shoes, balloons, plastic grocery bags (sando bags) and other consumable items. The presence of sando bags in rivers, waterways and open roads indicates that the existing ban on the use of plastic bags is not enough to curb behavior on dumping. Ocean/waterway activities represent 18% of the total debris collected. Debris items in this category include bleach bottles, crates, crab/fish traps, fishing implements (fishing line, lures, & nets), buoys, floats, empty lube containers, pallets, plastic sheeting, discarded polyethylene ropes and strapping bands. Debris items related to smoking activities which include cigarette filters, cigar tips, plastic disposable lighters and tobacco packaging accounted for 12% of the total debris count in this years ICC.
Figure 3. Activity-based Debris (%)
1% 12%
7%
18% 63%
Medical and personal hygiene-related debris accounted for 7% of the total debris count. They include condoms, disposable diapers, syringes and sanitary napkins. Dumping-related marine debris was comparatively low at 1%. Debris in this category includes appliances, batteries, car/car parts, tires and 55-gallon drums. Rubber tires and junk vehicles which are intentionally dumped for artificial fish habitats are being criticized by environmental groups due to their adverse impact to the water quality of the sites where they are dumped. Petroleum-related products from watercrafts, car or truck engines have found their way in the oceans and concerned government agencies should looked into this matter. Debris of local concern was found in limited quantities. However, there is a growing concern in the proliferation of electrical gadgets, cheap, low-quality domestic appliances and computer- related products being disposed by consumers. In 2004, this was given emphasis in the U.S. as volunteers collected various computer parts in several cleanup sites.
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Rank 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Debris Item food wrappers/containers straws, stirrers cigarettes / cigarette filters bags (plastic) plastic sheeting / tarps cups, plates, forks, knives, spoons diapers caps, lids beverage bottles (glass) cloth/shoes/slippers Top ten total debris items Total debris Items
Quantity 263472 253352 160350 140811 129609 124058 114854 113313 106596 104229 1510644 2063415
Food wrappers are the most prevalent debris in the 2012 ICC
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Figure 4 shows the main sources of the top ten debris volunteers recorded during the 2012 cleanup. Most of the top prevalent debris can be accounted to shoreline/recreational activities (72%). Other sources of Top ten debris include smoking-related activities (11%), ocean/waterway activities (9%) and medical/personal hygiene (8%). The top ten items in the list are prevalent in all the data cards submitted and the solution is mind-boggling. The question is what can we do about this problem? Obviously, the solution is to educate and change the behavior of each person. Government can enact laws providing punitive sanctions to violators of existing anti-dumping laws. However, does the government have the political will to enforce the law? While removing trash during cleanups is important, the data generated is just as, if not more important. Data from previous cleanups help us learn about the behaviors that cause marine debris. It serves as a basis for developing programs to educate people on the importance of debris prevention. ICC data will be useful for decision-makers in making better-informed policies and solid waste management programs; and for manufacturing industries in improving their technology and designs on packaging products.
Figure 4. Sources of Top Ten Debris
OUTCOME OF ICC
The country surpassed other countries and locations outside US in volunteer turnout. This significant result is attributed to the dedication and commitment of the ICC coordinators, sponsors and volunteers from the government, private sectors, academic institutions, local government and local communities. The large number of cleanup volunteers cleaning up beaches, coastal areas, rivers and waterways all over the country has shown they are stepping up to make a difference in saving the marine environment and restoration of oceans health. The cleanup also promoted environmental volunteerism and solidarity in fighting the menace brought by marine debris.
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Volunteers heeded to fill-up and submit their data cards because they know that information gathered will be vital in establishing better solutions to the marine debris problem. The collected information will be a powerful tool for the government and elected officials in making better-informed policy decisions and improved solid waste management programs; corporate decision-makers in manufacturing industries can improve their technology and designs on packaging products by using biodegradable materials to reduce generation of trash. The ICC has reminded citizens that trash in our ocean pollutes our water, kills and injures wildlife, poses threat to human well-being; affects tourism and also costs local government in debris removal. Efforts to abate the presence of marine debris are continually being supported by policies and regulations on disposal and management of solid waste passed by the government to all municipalities, cities and barangays (i.e. Ra 9003- ecological solid waste management act of 2000). Offices/organizations were created to provide technical assistance to facilitate the implementation of RA 9003. The ICC has also heightened the awareness of the public on the impacts of marine debris and the need to protect the marine environment. Thus, massive information and environmental education programs in schools, communities and other stakeholders are being conducted to promote marine conservation and protection. While the ICC accomplishes amazing results, one day of cleaning up will only be a drop in the ocean unless we expand our reach. We have to widen our commitment beyond the cleanup by bringing in new volunteers and by raising environmental awareness through information and education programs. We have the opportunity to make significant strides not only in cleaning up the existing trash that is polluting our water, but more importantly in reducing the amount that enters the ocean in the first place. If we all join together and make the ICCs mission an integral part of our daily lives, we could truly start a Sea Change, every day. It starts one day at a time.
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6. 7.
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10. Contact your elected representatives. Let them know you care about marine debris and that you are watching what they do to stop it. Then, vote for candidates who support marine debris prevention.
2012 ICC at CCP Complex Bay area, Manila (Philippine Coast Guard Auxiliary)
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Private Sector
Philippine Coast Guard Auxiliary Batangas Coastal Resources Management Foundation (BCRMF) First Generation Corporation / First Gas Power Corporation / First Philippine Conservation, Inc. / First Philippine Industrial Corporation Lighthouse Marina Chevron Philippines, Inc. and Chevron Batangas Terminal Reef Conservation Initative, Inc. Coca Cola Bottlers Philippines (CCBP) PETRON Pandacan Pandacan Depots Services, Inc. UNILEVER Rotary Club International
Special Thanks to the sponsors. Their generosity made it possible for the coastal cleanup to reach out to people. We hope that they continue to support the ICC and other environment initiatives.
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