About 1,000 Pattaya residents and tourists cleaned up city beaches for International Coastal Cleanup Day.
Environment Minister Surasak Kanchanara opened the Sept. 14 event with Pattaya Mayor Anan Charoenchasri.
According to the International Coastal Cleanup organization, 27 million tons of garbage was from the oceans last year. Most of the items were glass bottles, plastic bags, and beverage cans. Garbage collected at the beach also included plastic straws, foam containers, cigarette butts and snack bags.
Up to 80% of the waste came from coastal industries, transportation from rivers in coastal areas, waste from homes, tours around coasts and rainstorm runoff. Garbage from the ocean came from fishing boats, boat transportation, cruise ships, tour boats, coastal fisheries and petrol and gas drilling businesses.
Volunteers spread out across Pattaya and Jomtien Beach, picking up garbage while divers cleaned the seabed and coral reefs.
 |
 |
