Around two tonnes of trash washed ashore at Kovalam

Large quantities of garbage, including discarded fishing nets and plastic bottles, washed upon the beach at Kovalam on Tuesday, drawing attention yet again to the danger posed by human-created waste to marine and coastal ecosystems.

According to Friends of Marine Life (FML), a Valiathura-based marine research forum, the inflow of marine debris which began around 6 a.m. had continued well past Tuesday noon.

Torn fishing nets, cloths, plastic bags, driftwood, and plastic bottles accounted for the major chunk of the trash, FML convener Robert Panipilla said.

“By 12 noon, some two tonnes of waste must have washed up at Kovalam. Large quantities of trash had washed up during the last monsoon season also. This year though, it has been on an unprecedented scale,” Mr Panipilla said.

According to FML, the currents have been on a strong north to south direction during the past one week, carrying the floating trash to the underwater reefs off Leela beach in Kovalam.

Source: The Hindu