Stormwater Pollution accounts for
60%
of the pollution that enters our water
14 Billion
pounds of waste is dumped annually in the world's oceans
34 Billion
Gallons of wastewater is processed by water treatment facilities daily
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Medical Grade
Mask
Waste management is critical to human development and health outcomes, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. Personal protective equipment such as masks, gloves, and gowns should be disposed of in their appropriate locations. Doing so, avoids the possibility of overflow, contamination, and harming wildlife.
Plastic Bag
According to the United States Ocean Conservancy Organization, every year, 8 million metric tons of plastics enter our ocean on top of the estimated 150 million metric tons that currently circulate our marine environments. Whether by errant plastic bags or plastic straws winding their way into gutters or large amounts of mismanaged plastic waste streaming from rapidly growing economies, that’s like dumping one New York City garbage truck full of plastic into the ocean every minute of every day for an entire year
Dirty Bottle
A dirty bottle is just one example of the several items that currently reside in aquatic habitats. Bottles typically end up in the ocean due to improper disposal of the item or overflow of trash bins.
Empty Can
Unfortunately, both empty cans and plastic packaging rings are the most common items found in the ocean. These items cause great injury to wildlife due to choking and suffocation as they are mistaken for food.
Runoff
Gasoline, pet waste, hazardous waste, and chemical fertilizers can enter stormwater drains during heavy rain. erode stream banks, The result of these flowing into our oceans creates algal blooms and erodes stream banks, damaging hundreds of miles of aquatic habitat
What is Stormwater Pollution?
How many times have you noticed a sewer drain along a street that always backs up in rainstorms? Have you noticed the trash blocking the amount of water that can escape through the drain? Have you noticed an oily sheen in the water that flows down the street? Does your town have to close streets because it floods after a rain?
On good days, these flows travel through this network of pipes to a municipal sewage treatment plan. But on days with heavy rains, the pipes may not be big enough to accommodate all of the rain and sewage, resulting in an overflow of untreated sewage into our waterways and streets. When this happens, the polluted runoff gathered from rain, severe thunderstorms, and even snow from roads, parking lots, and other impervious surfaces, where runoff collects pollutants and carries them downstream and into our oceans.
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Examples of pollutants include antifreeze, grease, oil, heavy metals from cars, fertilizers, pesticides, pet waste, medical equipment, bottles, cans, plastic bags and sediment from poor construction site practices. Any of the following leads to both the disruption of aquatic life and has negative effects on our physiological health.
How can you help?
Did you know that implementing waste collection and recycling globally can not only address the issue of ocean plastic pollution, but can improve public health by preventing the spread of infectious disease and reducing respiratory illnesses? These are just a few of the many ways to be a part of the solution.
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1. Participate in a safe community and ocean cleanups.
2. Advocate for stormwater pollution prevention plans in your town.
3. Be responsible and dispose of any waste.
4. Do not dump anything down the stormwater drain that is not water
5. Cut down on fertilizers, pesticides, and herbicides. If you use these chemicals, follow directions and use them sparingly.
6. Pick up after your pets and keep animals away from the drain. Make sure fences and other structures are keeping cows, horses and other animals out of streams. Compost manure in a designated area so that it does not wash off into nearby waterways.
7. Consider going to a commercial car wash instead of washing your car on the driveway at home.
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