Trash or Treat

Posted Tue, 10/31/2017 - 11:00

BOO! It’s Halloween—the scariest day of the year—and nothing is more frightening on All Hallows’ Eve than… marine debris!

A Halloween skeleton decoration in a pile of trash.
AAaahhhhhhh marine debris is scary! Don’t let your decorations loose! This guy was found at an Earth Day cleanup in April 2016. (Photo Credit: NOAA)

Halloween is both scary and fun, but unfortunately often results in an increase in trash that can become marine debris. But, thankfully there are ways to *actually* be a superhero (not just dress like one!) and take steps to prevent this from happening!

Wrappers are one of the top ten items found every year at the International Coastal Cleanup, so let’s avoid adding to that mess! Make sure you hold on to your candy wrappers after eating your treats and dispose of them properly. If you’re handing out candy, consider choosing goodies that don’t come with a plastic wrapper, but are packaged in cardboard boxes or paper that can be recycled. Unfortunately, wrappers aren’t the only thing haunting us this Halloween—our spooky decorations can also become debris. Make sure those cobwebs, skeletons, and other freaky flourishes are securely placed so they don’t blow away and start causing mischief.

Have a great, safe, and trash-free Halloween.

A graphic saying to hold on to your Halloween candy wrappers.
Trash or treat? I’ll just take the treat, thanks. (Credit: NOAA)

Happy Halloween!

Trash or Treat

Posted Tue, 10/31/2017 - 11:00
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For citation purposes, unless otherwise noted, this article was authored by the NOAA Marine Debris Program.

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OLIVIA RIGOLI

Fri, 11/10/2017 - 04:57

We must stop buying plastic containers Ok but before all stop producing !!! What is not packed in plastic today? it is part of the obstacle course for shopping without plastic containers. Agro food manufacturers and disgusting household products are responsible! Let them be condemned to finance the cleaning! Not difficult, their name is written on every bottle of laundry shampoo, toothbrush, tube of toothpaste found on all beaches of all continents or floating by dying fish. By 2050 There will be more plastic than fish in the sea. If Air France and airlines started by example by stopping to distribute a kit full of plastic to each passenger! It's sickening outrage that nothing is put in again or so little! They must be sentenced to clean up!

Sylvia Adam

Sun, 12/10/2017 - 04:16

It is interesting to make a comparative study of the TYPES of Marine Debris in the Northern Hemisphere and the Southern Hemisphere