ARCHIVED - Life Salinas finds load of old rubbish in San Pedro del Pinatar

Volunteers focused on the Mediterranean coastline in San Pedro del Pinatar

It’s always heartbreaking to see images of turtles wrapped in fishing nets, seagulls dead from starvation after ingesting a stomach full of cigarette butts and dead fish which have ingested so many pieces of microplastic that their fragile bodies are unable to consume the nutrients which keep them alive, all scenarios which are preventable if only humans could modify their behaviour and stop polluting the oceans.

As part of an educative project to engender environmental and social responsibility from an early age, the Life Salinas initiative, based in the Salinas regional park of San Pedro del Pinatar (click for info about visiting the park), carried out a rubbish collection day this weekend, gathering together a worrying large amount of rubbish left behind by those who visited the park in order to enjoy this beautiful natural space and observe the wildlife.

Volunteers focused on the area around the port and the Playa Lastre beach, gathering multiple bags of rubbish including cigarette butts which kill marine life by filling stomachs with indigestible material which prevents the bird from diving, as well as lots of empty drink cartons and fishing bait boxes discarded by fishermen.

Their message is clear; take your rubbish home and don´t leave it on the beach to kill our marine life.

Images: Life Salinas