A survey of ocean trash initiated by Penghu County Government's Environmental Protection Bureau has been recognized by the Ocean Conservancy International Coastal Cleanup initiative.
“Penghu's efforts were posted on the organization's international website, with the entry receiving over 610,000 hits from 152 nations so far,” a county official said. “This exposure will help Penghu garner greater exposure overseas.”
According to the official, over 2,700 types of trash were identified in the waters surrounding Penghu. The most common type is cigarette butts, followed by beverage bottles, plastic bags and bottle caps. Fishing line, nets and plastic bags were nominated as the trash that most directly impacts wildlife in the water, such as sea turtles, seals and fish.
“But the most disturbing part of the survey’s findings,” the official said, “is that 80 percent of the trash comes from mainland China.”
As a result, Penghu’s Environmental Protection Bureau plans to invite its counterparts from Hsinchu, Hualien, Yilan, Keelung and Taitung to attend a forum in April aimed at addressing the situation and joining efforts to survey and classify various types of waste.
“We hope that through these efforts to highlight international environmental protection, mainland China will pay more attention to the problem,” the official said.
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