Title: The Unseen Peril: Cigarette Butts Endangering California's Horn Sharks
Marine pollution, particularly plastic waste, poses a significant threat to our oceans worldwide. Among the numerous contributors to this issue, cigarette butts are the most frequently found form of plastic waste, posing unique hazards to marine ecosystems. These tiny yet harmful items, along with other plastic waste, often contain harmful chemicals such as PAHs and PCBs, which can harm marine life, leading to internal injuries, poisoning, and even death through ingestion. Large plastic items, including fishing gear and other debris, can entangle marine creatures, causing injuries or fatalities.
In Southern California, the popular walkway known as the Esplanade in Redondo Beach attracts a large number of visitors each year, leading to significant waste accumulation on the streets. Despite regular street cleaning by the city, managing the constant flow of debris is challenging. The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health monitors bacterial levels in beach waters but does not track physical debris on the Esplanade, highlighting a gap in environmental monitoring.
Dr. Evelyn Alvarez of the California State University argues that it's critical to better understand how waste from this area might affect coastal ecosystems, particularly the California horn shark (Heterodontus francisci). These small, bottom-dwelling sharks are known to lay spiral-shaped eggs in vulnerable habitats, and their juveniles seek shelter in areas that can harbor marine debris. The threat of entanglement or ingestion of waste materials is high, and with their natural habitats under pressure from both pollution and increasing human activity, it's essential to investigate the impacts of waste on horn sharks' reproductive behavior.
Alvarez believes that simple interventions like increasing the number of trash bins, providing designated cigarette butt disposal stations, and raising public awareness could help mitigate the impact of plastic pollution. An innovative tool to aid data collection is the Marine Debris Tracker, a smartphone app that allows citizen scientists to geotag and classify waste in their communities, providing valuable data on the types and quantities of debris found in specific areas.
A group of citizen scientists used the Marine Debris Tracker to monitor waste on the Esplanade in Redondo Beach from June to July 2021. Over the course of the study, 1,556 waste items were logged, with plastic being the dominant category (52%), followed by paper and lumber (39%). Notably, cigarette butts and plastic food wrappers were the most frequently encountered waste items, highlighting the prevalence of single-use plastics in the area.
The data collected showed where marine debris was accumulating and how it might intersect with critical shark habitats, such as egg-laying sites. While the study did not observe many horn sharks during the waste tracking sessions, the data provides valuable insights into the extent and potential impacts of marine debris.
Moving forward, addressing the issue of cigarette butt pollution on the Esplanade is critical, given its potential to introduce microplastics into the ocean. Simple interventions like those suggested by Alvarez could help reduce the impact of this pollution and protect marine life, including the California horn shark.
- The accumulation of waste on the Esplanade, including cigarette butts and plastic food wrappers, poses a threat to local wildlife, such as the California horn shark.
- The presence of microplastics in cigarette butts, which are often found on the Esplanade, could harm marine life, including sharks, leading to internal injuries, poisoning, or death through ingestion.
- Dr. Evelyn Alvarez suggests implementing simple interventions, such as increasing the number of trash bins and providing designated cigarette butt disposal stations, to reduce plastic pollution and protect the California horn shark.
- Citizen science initiatives, like the Marine Debris Tracker app, can help collect data on waste accumulation on the Esplanade, shedding light on the types and quantities of debris in specific areas.
- Addressing cigarette butt pollution on the Esplanade is crucial for reducing the introduction of microplastics into the ocean, potentially protecting marine life, including the California horn shark, from harm.
