Impacts of Municipal Solid Waste Management on Marine Pollution
Approximately 6.8 million tons of waste was collected in an International Coastal Cleanup in 2008. Marine pollution has become a global issue of concern particularly due to the fact that once discarded into the sea, the waste might end up anywhere. The main source of marine waste is from land-activities (80%) which is highly related to the disposal of municipal solid waste (MSW). The aim of this paper is to provide the overview of the impacts of improper municipal solid waste management on marine pollution. Additionally, case studies from Malaysia will also be discussed to identify emerging issues. The composition of MSW includes approximately 13% of plastic where without proper management and disposal system would end up in the ocean. Approximately 80% of the total wastes found in the ocean are plastic-based. Pelagic plastics for example are the main constituent of the Great Pacific Garbage Patch or the Pacific Trash Vortex in the Pacific Ocean trapped by the north Pacific Gyre. This is a very critical issue particularly to small islands which lack appropriate MSW management system. Guam unlike many of the Small Island Developing States (SIDS) has developed infrastructure for waste collection via the adoption of Integrated Solid Waste Management Plan 2005. Yet, illegal dumping of MSW into the ocean is still at large. Saipans 0.057million tons/year of MSW was deal with by disposal into Puerto Rico Dump (PRD). Rapid development in the island has resulted with the exhaustion of space in PRD that waste was sloughed into abutting lagoons or dumped illegally into the ocean. This leads the serious marine pollution that appropriate waste management strategies were introduced which involved the establishment of modern landfill. Impacts of improper MSW management were detrimental to the marine environment as it sees the effects of waste to the marine wildlife. The population of marine animals plunged drastically over the years due to indigestion of debris, toxification by hazardous compound and loss of survival capability. Plastic indigestions by many marine animals were reported to cause rupture to the internal organs, or animals starved to death. Toxification due to the absorption of organic pollutant into debris ingested by marine animals caused hormone disruption and fatality. Abundant of waste debris in the marine environment also encourage invasive species. Additionally, marine waste also can trapped and suffocate animals. Trapped animals will have limited ability to move thus become easy prey to predators. The impacts of MSW in the marine environment are of serious concern due to the fact that it is affecting the whole marine food web. Therefore, it is crucial that fast solutions are to be found in order to solve this marine pollution problem.
AGAMUTHU P. FAUZIAH S.H.
Institute of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of Malaya, 50603 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
国际会议
2011 International Symposium on Environmental Science and Technology(2011 环境科学与技术国际会议 2011 ISEST)
广东东莞
英文
869-876
2011-06-01（万方平台首次上网日期，不代表论文的发表时间）