Litter’s devastating effect on marine life has been demonstrated through the largest beach clean-up in history, which took place in the most populous City in India, Mumbai in August this year.

In a video uploaded to viral video sharing platform YouTube by the United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP), a mass of plastic and other waste products are seen being washed up onto Mumbai’s Versova Beach.

Citizens actively responded to the video’s content, led by 33-year-old lawyer, Afroz Shah, who called on community members to help with cleanup efforts. Lewis Pugh, UN Patron of the Oceans, has joined the movement, lending the support of the organisation which he represents. More than 2-million kilograms of litter had already been cleared from the beach since the video was uploaded on Women’s Day (9 August) this year.

Fastest growing threat

Landing his voice to the cleanup efforts, Pugh commented that despite visiting beaches all over the world, he had never seen litter on this scale before. In the video, UNEP calls marine litter is “one of the fastest growing threats to health of world’s oceans.”

South African beaches too are affected by marine litter, and the health and environmental problems it brings. In a recent example, community members in the north of Durban have demonstrated their commitment to cleaning up Blue Lagoon Beach through the Facebook page, #CleanBlueLagoon.

The most recent clean up held at Blue Lagoon Beach was held on August 20, where Pugh again added his voice by encouraging people to help the clean-up – congratulating them on their efforts following the event.

For the full article go to: http://citizen.co.za/1256654/marine-litter-fastest-growing-threat-to-health-of-worlds-oceans/

Source: The Citizen