Beach clean-up and Recycling

Aloha Diving joined a beach clean-up organised by Oceans for all, at InterContinental Resort Phuket Kamala Beach. With the project pure shores regular events will be hold with different partners. The purpose of such beach clean-ups are not just to collecting tons of trash, they rather are to raise the awareness and the education.

For example the plastic trash is not just caused by irresponsible people who dumped it at the beach. It often is plastic out of a bin blown away by the wind, into a Klong (small river) which enters finally into the sea. Therefore, it is recommended to bring any kind of own waste home and dispose it properly. Another huge problem are cigarette buds from careless beach visitors using the beach as a big ashtray. Some beaches are smoke free by law others not yet. Cigarette filters are made from plastic which will be more than 10 years visible.

Another fact is that over 50% of worldwide plastic trash is caused by the fishing industry due to plastic ropes and ghost nets. Imagine if the whole world would consume just 10% less fish, a lot of plastic trash could be avoided. It may even would have an effect on all protected and endangered sea life which sadly end up in a drag net for nothing.

A lot of trash items washed ashore can not be recycled in Phuket at this stage with the result that it get burned in a backyard or put in a landfill. Glas, aluminium and all kind of HDPE (high-density polyethylene) are recyclable items and can be brought to the different collecting points. That means when we collect trash from the beach, we should already separate the items and collect them in different bags. Especially HDPE trash can be brought to an organisation in Phuket called Whale Tail Phuket. They design and reproduce many kind of useful things (e.g. out of plastic bottle caps) with a special machine. For our garbage separation in our Dive Center, we will use from now on transparent bags. Like this collectors can see right away what’s in it and bring it for some money to the right collection point (glas and aluminium). On our dive boat we separate recyclable trash as well.

In fact everybody can collect trash at any time and not just for „cosmetic“ reasons. But get information first how waste disposal works in your area. If you have the chance to join a beach clean-up during your vacation in Phuket held by any non-profit organisation, it will enhance your action with awareness and education.  And by the way, it is much more fun to pull out trash with a group full of great energy.  If you like to read more about sustainable diving in Phuket or when we participate the next beach clean-up then click here.