Once, our nation's beaches were littered only with the likes of dry seaweed strands, shells, plant stems, and stranded jellyfish. These days, the litter is more likely to include plastic bags, scraps of fishing nets, pieces of Styrofoam cups, and broken soda bottles. As the coastal population has risen and society has turned from degradable natural materials to synthetic ones, the trash problem has worsened. The problem of today's litter is not merely aesthetic.
Plastic debris can snare boat propellers, causing substantial damage to the motor.
Medical wastes menace barefoot beachgoers and pose a threat of contamination. Glass or metal shards can cause serious gashes. And, beaches which endure frequent closings due to trash or medical waste suffer a loss of tourist revenues. Animals often fare even worse. A simple plastic six-pack yoke can mean death to an ensnared marine mammal or bird.