State updates marine debris website, encourages beachgoers to report debris items

OLYMPIA – As people head for Washington’s coastal beaches for the long Labor Day weekend, the Washington State Marine Debris Task Force is reminding beachgoers to call 1-855-WACOAST (1-855-922-6278) to report potentially dangerous or tsunami-related marine debris on our state shorelines.

Washington also is announcing its marine debris web portal, http://marinedebris.wa.gov/. The state website contains information about:

How to report non-hazardous marine debris.
Identifying and reporting potentially hazardous debris items.
Tips on keeping our beaches clean and healthy.
Where to get more information about debris modeling and monitoring efforts – including debris likely resulting from the March 11, 2011, tsunami that devastated Japan.
Updates on efforts by the state’s Marine Debris Task Force.

Gov. Chris Gregoire established the task force – consisting of the state Military Department’s Emergency Management Division (EMD) and several other state agencies – to coordinate state, federal and local activities to monitor and respond appropriately to marine debris along the Washington coast.

In Washington, people who call 1-855-WACOAST (1-855-922-6278) can:

Report oil and hazardous items to the National Response Center and Washington Department of Ecology (Ecology) by pressing “1.”
Report large floating debris items that might pose a boating or navigation hazard by pressing “2.”
Get instructions for reporting debris that is not large or hazardous.

Oregon has a separate marine debris reporting line, 2-1-1. The two lines are different, and anyone in Washington calling 2-1-1 to report marine debris on our state beaches will not reach Washington’s toll-free 1-855-WACOAST reporting line.

Washington saw a spike in amounts of marine debris in June. Since July, the amount of debris washing ashore the state’s coastal beaches has decreased, partly due to seasonal weather patterns. Increases in debris are expected later in fall and winter when weather patterns shift.

Still, beachgoers this Labor Day holiday are encouraged to remove and dispose of small debris items such as Styrofoam, plastic bottles and floats, and pieces of metal and treated wood. The Washington Department of Ecology (Ecology) has placed trash bins in the cities of Ocean Shores and Ocean Park as well as Grayland State Park where the public can dispose of marine debris.

Items from many parts of the Pacific Rim, including buoys and consumer plastics, regularly wash up on Washington beaches. It is difficult to tell the origin of the debris without unique information such as an individual or company name, serial number or other identifying information.

However, if an item appears to have sentimental value to those who owned it, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) requests people move the item to a safe place, take pictures, note the location and email the information to DisasterDebris@noaa.gov.

Marine debris that appears to be oiled or contain hazardous materials such as fuel containers and tanks, chemical storage totes, gas cylinders and drums should be immediately reported by calling1-855-WACOAST (1-855-922-6278) and pressing “1.”

Play it safe. If something looks suspicious, don’t touch it. These include any 10-inch aluminum insecticide canisters frequently found in high tide zones along the coast. These canisters can contain small amounts of toxic phosphine gas. Read more at www.ecy.wa.gov/programs/spills/incidents/ocean_shores/3-08%20Fumicates%20sign2.pdf.

More about marine debris, including potential tsunami debris

Washington’s 375 miles of coastal beaches are owned and managed by eight different landowners: Hoh Indian Tribe, Makah Nation, Quileute Indian Tribe, Quinault Indian Nation, Shoalwater Bay Tribe, Olympic National Park, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service and Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission.
There have been sporadic increases in reported debris on our beaches including plastic bottles and floats, Styrofoam, pieces of lumber, crates and other small moveable objects.
Most small debris items are not considered hazardous. Whenever possible, people are encouraged to pick these items up and properly dispose of them.
NOAA remains the best source for information about Japan tsunami marine debris including modeling, protocols to follow for handling marine debris and frequently asked questions. Go to http://marinedebris.noaa.gov/tsunamidebris/
NOAA is actively collecting information about tsunami debris and asks the public to report debris sightings to DisasterDebris@noaa.gov. Please include the time, date, location and, if possible, photos in such reports.
State Health Department radiation experts don’t expect to find any debris with elevated radiation levels. More information at www.doh.wa.gov/Emergencies/EmergencyPreparednessandResponse/FukushimaUpdate/TsunamiDebrisFAQ.aspx
According to state Fish and Wildlife, finding marine debris with invasive species will be rare and most likely limited to large marine structures such as boats, docks, navigation aids and breakwaters that spent a long time in their native waters. Such objects will likely require heavy equipment to remove. People may find organisms attached to smaller debris items – sometimes in heavy accumulations – but these will be common open ocean species such as pelagic gooseneck barnacles. Go to www.wdfw.wa.gov/tsunami/.
Don’t burn driftwood. Salt residue from ocean waters stays in pores of the wood, even after it’s dry. According to Ecology, when burned the chlorine reacts with the wood to form toxic compounds called dioxins that are released in the smoke. Such compounds can affect the immune system. If a beach fire is permitted, bring seasoned, non-driftwood, and enjoy.
State Parks asks people who want to clean debris from beaches to focus on small, non-natural items such as Styrofoam and plastic. Leave wood and kelp because these are an important part of the beach ecosystem. Stripping the beach of its driftwood depletes needed coastal habitat.
According to state law, it is illegal to burn garbage, and construction and demolition debris. More at http://apps.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=70.94.6512

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Media contacts:

Linda Kent, Washington Ecology media relations, 360-407-6239, cell, 360-791-9830; linda.kent@ecy.wa.gov
Curt Hart, Washington Ecology media relations, 360-407-6990; cell, 360-480-7908; curt.hart@ecy.wa.gov

For more information:

Washington Marine Debris web portal: http://marinedebris.wa.gov
NOAA: http://marinedebris.noaa.gov/tsunamidebris/
Joint States tsunami debris information website: http://disasterdebris.wordpress.com/
Washington Emergency Management Division: www.emd.wa.gov/index.shtml
Washington Department of Health: www.doh.wa.gov/Emergencies/EmergencyPreparednessandResponse/FukushimaUpdate/TsunamiDebrisFAQ.aspx
Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife: www.wdfw.wa.gov/tsunami/
Washington Department of Ecology: www.ecy.wa.gov/programs/spills/spills.html
Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission: www.parks.wa.gov/
Washington State Conservation and Recreation Office: www.rco.wa.gov/