Ocean debris trashing beaches on Washington coast
Feb 7, 2013, 10:02 AM | Updated: 11:46 am
A lot of trash is washing up on the Washington coast right now and beachgoers are asked to pitch in with the cleanup. (AP Photo/file)
(AP Photo/file)
A lot of trash is washing up on the Washington coast right now and beachgoers are asked to pitch in with the cleanup.
Most of the garbage is small stuff. “Styrofoam, plastic bottles, some fishing floats and other objects that are non-hazardous that can be picked up and carried away,” said Curt Hart, spokesman for the state Department of Ecology.
The state is asking clam diggers and other beach visitors to carry a trash bag and pick up any small debris they find. The state has placed trash bins at Ocean Shores, Long Beach and Westport to help dispose of the trash.
“The way our coastal beaches are kept clean of these non-hazardous items that can be picked up is really by voluntary beach cleanups and just the public going out to the beach,” said Hart.
The state Marine Debris Task Force says it can’t say for sure whether the debris this winter is from the March 2011 Japanese tsunami. Hart says just four large items that have washed ashore in Washington can be traced back to Japan.
Recently, a couple of large unique items did wash ashore, including a refrigerator with Asian writing and covered marine growth that appeared on the beach at Ocean City State Park.
People who find larger or possibly toxic items on the beach should notify park rangers at state beaches or call the marine debris hotline 1-855-WACOAST (1-855-922-6278).
Another uptick in ocean debris is expected this summer with shifting currents.
