Taiwan’s 1,200km long coastline is polluted by 1.8 million metric tons of waste. That’s the word from the Society of Wilderness (SOW) on Friday.
According to the SOW, over 90% of the waste they picked up this year is plastic, and over 70% is made up of everyday items. Common waste includes plastic bags, plastic bottle caps, straws, disposable chopsticks, and disposable spoons. Other common waste includes glass bottles, to-go beverage cups, and cigarettes. The SOW picked up more than 18,000 plastic bottle caps alone this year.
The SOW held 81 coastal clean-up activities this year. 10,000 volunteers participated in these clean-ups, gathering more than 35,000kg of waste.
The SOW suggests that people reduce their use of plastic materials, especially when eating out. The society also reminds people to recycle any recyclable items.