Study traces where the ‘grab bag’ of trash on Whatcom’s coastal beaches comes from
Trash on the beaches of Puget Sound and the Washington Coast can be found predictably, but trash on Puget Sound beaches is much more likely to be a local issue, according to a new study.
The study, published this month by the University of Washington, looked at trash patterns in the Pacific Northwest, keying in on two areas with distinct differences in its environment: coastal waters and the Puget Sound.
Kathy Willis, lead author of the study, said she assumed the greater population and enclosed system of the Puget Sound would contribute to a difference in the kinds of trash found. Her prediction was ultimately true.
“Differences in material can give us clues to what might be driving the litter that we find on beaches,” said in a video interview with The Bellingham Herald.
Willis said trash on the coast is more than likely going to be plastic, but trash on Puget Sound is much more varied. She said in addition to plastic, surveyors on Puget Sound beaches found wood, glass and cement.
“It’s not likely that (these heavier materials) come from the open ocean and washed onto our beaches because they rarely float,” Willis said. “It’s probably us, the visitors going to the beach, that are most likely the source of that litter.”
Data for the study was provided by the COASST program, a group of citizen scientists who collect information about beaches. Originally a way to monitor coastal birds, the program became vital in the research on ocean trash as volunteers combed beaches, meticulously observing and recording litter.
Conclusions from the study create a baseline for future studies researching trash. Scientists can now compare future studies to the trash observed and recorded from 2017 to 2021.
In the final years of the study, data suggested a downward trend in the amount of litter on both coastal and Puget Sound beaches. However, Willis said a cause for the decrease is not yet known, but she said beach cleanups are a great way for people to become engaged with the environment.
Simon Bakke, communications manager for RE Sources for Sustainable Communities, said the organization’s monthly cleanups seemed to be making a difference on Whatcom County beaches. But, when cleaning the beaches, he said they’ve found everything from lots of small plastic pieces to large pieces of duct tubing.
“It’s a grab bag,” Bakke said. “You never know what you’re gonna get out there.”
RE Sources holds a beach cleanup once a month, with the next one taking place Sept. 17 at Locust Beach. Cleanups by the group span across Whatcom County’s beaches and can include lakes and riverbanks as well.
The study indicates “sticky zones” on beaches where trash is most likely to accumulate. These areas are among the high-tide line and areas where driftwood land.
These areas could become the focus for future prevention and cleanup efforts by environmental and government organizations. But, it could also help everyday beachgoers do their part to keep beaches clean.
Eleanor Hines, lead scientist and North Sound Baykeeper for RE Sources, said beachgoers can become stewards while visiting local water attractions and help clean up before they leave.
“Every time you go to the beach, pick up three to 10 pieces of trash,” she said in a telephone interview with The Herald.
However, she said it is also important to think ahead and stay away from single-use plastic items. Instead, opt for sturdier and reusable utensils and containers for a beach trip.
