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Environmentalists exchange data in videoconference

Medical waste, such as used needles and syringes, is being found on more beaches in Taiwan, environmental protection activists said yesterday in a videoconference with their Australian counterparts to highlight the problem of marine pollution.

The videoconference, sponsored by the Australian Industry and Commerce Office, was part of the annual Clean Up the World campaign founded by Australian Ian Kiernan in 1993.

“We have found that more waste, such as used needles, is littering the beaches. We don’t know why this is, but the government must take control because it is too dangerous,” said Ted Chuang (莊慶達), a National Taiwan Ocean University professor.

Society of Wilderness said 171 used needles were found on beaches on Earth Day in April.

Taiwanese and Australian experts said plastic is the No. 1 pollutant for the marine ecosystems in both countries.

“We have found the main problem is plastics, which is a highly consumed item in the community. What we want to do is to raise awareness among the community that the rubbish they accumulated on land will most likely end up in the water if we don’t stop the root of the source,” said Terrie-Ann Johnson, chief executive officer of Clean Up Australia.

Cigarette butts and bottle lids are frequently found in Australian waters, but not as much medical waste, she said.

Society of Wilderness data also show that plastic bags are the most common garbage on Taiwanese beaches. Almost 18 percent of the garbage picked up during last Earth Day’s beach clean-up were plastic bags.

The second biggest pollutant was styrofoam, followed by cigarette butts and bottle tops.

Johnson said the public, businesses and the government should understand the immense commercial value that clean beaches have.

“Beaches are truly an asset to our community. They are a source of transportation, tourist destinations and for some people, food,” she said.

Another problem shared by Australia and Taiwan is that ocean currents bring rubbish from other countries and clog up the beaches.

Most foreign trash washed up on Taiwan’s beaches is from Japan and the Philippines, said Lee Chen-guang (李晨光), a planner with the Construction and Planning Agency.

Indonesian garbage can often be found on Australian beaches, Johnson said.
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