Marine Litter: Global Environmental Challenge and Local Efforts

Marine litter poses a severe environmental threat globally, with Chungnam Province alone allocating over 112 billion won for its collection and processing this year.

### Marine Litter in Chungnam Province: A Growing Environmental and Financial Burden
* 🌊 Marine litter is a significant environmental issue both in Korea and globally, with **remote islands facing challenges in cleaning up the garbage**.
* 💸 Nearly **20 billion won** is allocated in Chungnam Province this year alone to address marine litter, as the cost of handling various types of waste is **over 1 million won per ton**.
* 🏝 The Taean Peninsula's coastal area is heavily polluted with marine litter, ranging from **non-recyclable waste to household waste from China**, and microplastics pose a threat to the ecosystem if **consumed by fish**.
* 🌊 Mistakes occur in the ocean, and trash carried by the wind flows into the sea, creating structures where trash easily enters but cannot easily escape, leading to **significant garbage accumulation**.
* 📈 In Chungnam Province, over **3,000 tons of marine trash** were generated last year, with the amount increasing annually, and this year, **112 billion won** has been allocated for its **collection and processing**.
* 🔥 Since marine trash is challenging to recycle due to its mixed nature, it is mostly incinerated, exacerbating environmental damage, although materials like **plastics or stamps can be recycled**.
* 🔄 To improve recycling rates, it is crucial to **separate and recycle before incineration**, and an ocean resources circulation center is being established to address this pollution.
* 🚀 Chungnam Province is actively preparing collection equipment and taking a comprehensive approach to marine litter, such as using **drones to establish a map of marine litter**.

Not only in our country but also globally, marine litter is a significant environmental issue. Especially in remote islands where human access is difficult, it is not easy to clean up the garbage. Just in Chungnam Province, nearly 20 billion won is allocated this year to clean up the garbage. Transparent reporter reports. The coastal area of Taean Peninsula, surrounded by rugged mountains, is covered with a long belt of marine litter. The types of waste range from non-recyclable waste to household waste washed up from China. In particular, finely fragmented microplastics can disrupt the ecosystem if consumed by fish. The cost of handling these wastes is over 1 million won per ton, more than three times higher than general marine litter. Even in sparsely populated island areas, the situation is similar. In the sea, plastics and discarded tires are collected one after another.

Mistakes occur in the ocean and it is difficult, so trash carried by the wind flows into the ocean. When trash enters, it is easy to come in but difficult to get out because there are many structures where trash can easily enter but cannot easily escape. There is a lot of garbage accumulation due to this situation. In Chungnam Province alone, the amount of marine trash generated last year was over 3,000 tons, and it continues to increase every year. This year alone, 112 billion won has been allocated just for collecting and processing it, including the budget for building marine trash transport ships and recycling facilities, totaling 193 billion won. Marine trash is difficult to recycle due to the mixed nature of the waste, so it is mostly incinerated, making the environmental destruction even more severe. However, it is entirely possible to recycle plastics or other materials like stamps. In order to increase recycling rates, it is necessary to separate and recycle before recycling.

An ocean resources circulation center is currently being established to remove such pollution. Chungnam Province is gearing up for the collection equipment and taking a full-fledged approach to marine litter, such as establishing a map of marine litter using drones. This is MBC News, Jo Hyeong-che.

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The Impact of Marine Litter on Remote Islands

Marine litter is a major global environmental issue, particularly challenging to clean up in remote islands with difficult human access.

Chungnam Province has allocated a significant budget for the cleanup, as the area is heavily affected by marine litter, including microplastics that can disrupt the ecosystem.

The high cost of handling this waste, the difficulty of recycling, and the environmental impact of incineration highlight the urgent need for better waste management and recycling efforts.

The Establishment of an Ocean Resources Circulation Center

Chungnam Province is taking a full-fledged approach to marine litter by establishing a collection center and using drones to map marine litter.

The center aims to remove pollution and is a proactive step towards addressing marine litter.

MBC News, Jo Hyeong-che reports on the province's efforts to combat marine pollution.