The amount of waste on the Latvian coast is increasing, according to the Environmental Education Fund and the “My Sea” campaign monitoring data on polluting waste.
This year, an average of 254 waste units have been detected in 100 coastal meters, which is a new anti-record.
So far, the largest amount of waste – 248 waste units – was discovered during the 2018 campaign. In the first year of the campaign, 180 waste units per 100 meters of beach were found.
Various unidentified pieces of plastic cause the greatest amount of pollution. Also this year, various pieces of plastic accounted for 19% of all waste.
This year, the amount of coal waste on the beaches has significantly increased. Together with other wastes that do not belong to other waste groups, they accounted for 16% of the total amount of waste.
In third place are plastic bags, followed by paper, as well as cigarettes, cigarettes and cigarette filters.
Cigarette components were significantly supplemented this year by one of the new types of waste – cigarette filters for tobacco heating equipment.
This year, Covid-19 pandemic-related waste, such as face masks, has also appeared on the coast.
It has already been reported that the “My Sea” green expedition took place for the ninth time this year, in accordance with the methodology of the UN Environment Program, surveying the entire Latvian coast and carrying out an assessment of marine polluting waste in 42 coastal locations.
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