Storm Drains and the Ocean

Millions of people visit beaches each year, and according to a new study by researchers at UCLA and Stanford, nearl two people out of 100 of those visitors are sickened by bacterial pollution, resulting in millions of dollars in public health costs. Add the tourist dollars lost due to trash build-up on beaches, and the cost to taxpayers is enormous. Pollution in the oceans and on our beaches is the result of many factors, including litter, trash, cigarette butts, lawn clippings, motor oil, paint, pesticides, fertilizers, soil erosion, brake dust, tire rubber, and animal waste that gets washed down storm drains. And this pollution is causing a lot more problems then making people sick and taxing our checkbook, it’s creating “dead zones,” where nothing lives except bacteria. There are more than 140 “dead zones” around the world, areas completely devoid of marine life. One “dead zone” in the Gulf of Mexico is sometimes as big as the state of New Jersey.

“The ocean is our life support system and we’re polluting it with trash, chemicals and heavy metals,” said Jean-Michel Cousteau. “The world is suffering from the destruction of the ocean habitat. It’s like an individual polluting themselves. We’re using the ocean as a trash can and that must stop.”

Cousteau, a filmmaker, explorer and environmentalist, is the founder of the Ocean Futures Society and is committed to getting the word out on issues affecting our oceans. You can help spread the word and do your part to keep our oceans and beaches clean. The solution to pollution begins with us. Here are some of the simple steps you can take to help curb the pollution:

• Dispose of lawn clippings and yard waste in your green recycling trash container. Never sweep it or hose it out to the street and into storm drains.

• Use organic products to replace pesticides, fertilizers and for weed control. This reduces the amount of dangerous chemicals flowing off lawns and into storm drains.

• Wash your car on the lawn, or use a commercial car wash that recycles its water. Most detergents contain chemicals that when washed into streets and down storm drains, can harm sea life once it reaches the ocean.

• Sweep your driveway and sidewalks. Chemicals, oil and other pollutants drop from cars onto streets. Hosing off your driveway washes theses pollutants into the storm drains.

• Pick up after your pets. Animal waste sends harmful bacteria into storm drains and out to the ocean. It makes swimmers and surfers sick, and kills fish and other marine animals.

• Place your trash in proper container. Everything dropped, tossed, spilled or discarded onto streets makes it way into storm drains, out to the ocean, and onto our beaches.

• Keep vehicles in good running condition. Cars maintained correctly don’t leak toxic chemicals, which can end up down storm drains and washed out to our bays and oceans.

• Recycle used motor oil at authorized collection centers. One quart of oil dumped down a storm drain contaminates 250,000 gallons of water.

• Use water-based paints. Oil-based paints are extremely toxic and can only be disposed of at hazardous waste collection centers or round-ups. Dumping old paint into storm drains is illegal and carries heavy fines.

• Dispose of Household Hazardous and E-Waste legally, and report all illegal dumping. Dumping paint products, motor oil, chemicals and trash into storm drains is against the law.