• Firework debris in the Myrtle Beach area
  
  
• Food rations, flip-flops, and medical supplies, possibly from an active Navy ship, washed ashore in DeBordieu
  
  
• Debris from a sunken shrimp boat washed-up onto a beach in the Cape Romain National Wildlife Refuge
  
  
• Misc. trash, styrofoam, and construction material in Charleston harbor
  
  
• Fishing-related debris in several creeks and rivers

Cigarette butts are expected to be the #1 item found on the coast, followed by debris associated with beach-going activities (bottles, cans, plastic ware, and fast food containers), and boating activities (ropes, nets, buoys, and fishing line). Inland, cans, glass bottles, and plastic products are expected to be the top three items collected.

Organizers on the coast really worked hard to tackle the litter problem in our rivers, creeks, and marshes, resulting in more groups than ever before ridding these fragile ecosystems of harmful debris.

Several people have asked, “Is there less litter than last year?,” and the response is that it depends on where you go. Beaches such as Isle of Palms, which recently received Blue Wave status, are cleaner than ever. But our rivers, creeks, and marshes still need a lot of help—the more you look, the more you find. Coastal coordinator Susan Ferris is speaking with SCDHEC’s Office of Ocean and Coastal Resource Management about implementing an Adopt-a-Creek program modeled after their successful Adopt-a-Beach program.

 

Susan Ferris Hill, coastal coordinator, S.C. Sea Grant Consortium, (843) 953-2078