As is evident from the stories in this paper, trash accumulates on beaches in the Northern Mariana Islands and Guam.
The amount and type of trash collected is staggering, but also shows a certain pattern — that residents habitually leave their trash on beaches after partying and barbecuing.
This is an ongoing problem.
Every year tourism organizations in the Mariana Islands — the Marianas Visitors Authority and the Guam Hotel & Restaurant Association — organize beach cleanups, supported by other civic organizations, and often by their government agencies as participants, or to haul the results of the cleanups away.
Beach cleanups draw volunteers to deal with the amount of trash also.
Trash on our beaches is not only a problem in the islands. The International Coastal Cleanup takes place in the Northern Mariana Islands and Guam, but also throughout the U.S. mainland, and in total in more than 100 countries worldwide in September each year.
Various deterrents have been discussed to having trash dumped.
In the Northern Mariana Islands the Division of Parks and Recreation in Saipan maintains 14 beaches and tourist sites. Its maintenance of tourism sites is particularly commendable, and it has kept those and the roads that lead to them clean for years.
The Guam Department of Parks and Recreation is responsible for cleanliness at 17 beaches. Keeping beaches in Guam and tourist sites clean have had challenges through the years, to include maintenance of restrooms. DPR has made some progress in renovation at tourist sites recently.
In Guam, illegal dumping can be reported to the Guam Environmental Protection Agency via email or by phone. The Guam EPA is responsible for implementing and enforcing the Solid Waste Management and Litter Control Act and can levy $1,000 per day allowed by the legislation, and an administrative penalty that can add up to thousands of dollars.
In Saipan, the Bureau of Environmental and Coastal Quality is responsible for prosecution for dumping and littering.
We urge both offices to remain diligent, identify those that trash our beaches, and use the full force of the law at their disposal to deter dumping and littering. mbj
The amount and type of trash collected is staggering, but also shows a certain pattern — that residents habitually leave their trash on beaches after partying and barbecuing.
This is an ongoing problem.
Every year tourism organizations in the Mariana Islands — the Marianas Visitors Authority and the Guam Hotel & Restaurant Association — organize beach cleanups, supported by other civic organizations, and often by their government agencies as participants, or to haul the results of the cleanups away.
Beach cleanups draw volunteers to deal with the amount of trash also.
Trash on our beaches is not only a problem in the islands. The International Coastal Cleanup takes place in the Northern Mariana Islands and Guam, but also throughout the U.S. mainland, and in total in more than 100 countries worldwide in September each year.
Various deterrents have been discussed to having trash dumped.
In the Northern Mariana Islands the Division of Parks and Recreation in Saipan maintains 14 beaches and tourist sites. Its maintenance of tourism sites is particularly commendable, and it has kept those and the roads that lead to them clean for years.
The Guam Department of Parks and Recreation is responsible for cleanliness at 17 beaches. Keeping beaches in Guam and tourist sites clean have had challenges through the years, to include maintenance of restrooms. DPR has made some progress in renovation at tourist sites recently.
In Guam, illegal dumping can be reported to the Guam Environmental Protection Agency via email or by phone. The Guam EPA is responsible for implementing and enforcing the Solid Waste Management and Litter Control Act and can levy $1,000 per day allowed by the legislation, and an administrative penalty that can add up to thousands of dollars.
In Saipan, the Bureau of Environmental and Coastal Quality is responsible for prosecution for dumping and littering.
We urge both offices to remain diligent, identify those that trash our beaches, and use the full force of the law at their disposal to deter dumping and littering. mbj