marine debris – Aquarius-Systems

Singapore Turns Waste Ash Into an Offshore Landfill

Thu, 17 Sep 2026 12:33:52 +0000

With limited land available for traditional waste disposal, Singapore developed an unusual solution: an offshore landfill built in the sea. Semakau Landfill, which opened in 1999, receives ash and non-incinerable waste after most of the country’s solid waste is processed at waste-to-energy plants. Incineration reduces the volume of the waste by as much as 90 percent before the remaining material is transported to the landfill.

Semakau was created by enclosing approximately 350 hectares (about 865 acres) of sea with a seven-kilometer, or roughly 4.3-mile, rock barrier. An impermeable membrane and marine clay help contain the landfill and prevent contaminated water from entering the surrounding sea. Waste is deposited within engineered cells inside the enclosed area.

What makes Semakau especially interesting is the effort to protect and restore the surrounding marine environment. Mangroves disturbed during construction were replanted, while nearby coral reefs, seagrass beds and remaining mangrove habitat were protected. Today, the area supports marine life and migratory birds and is even used for guided nature walks, birdwatching and other recreational activities.

The project isn’t a permanent answer to Singapore’s waste problem. Semakau continues to fill, and the country is exploring ways to reuse incineration ash rather than sending it to the landfill. Still, the project provides an interesting example of how engineering, waste management and environmental protection can be incorporated into the same project when available land is extremely limited.

May 2026 Newsletter

Fri, 10 Jul 2026 14:31:53 +0000

Floods, Debris, and Waterway Response

A Message from Our Leader: Happy Retirement Gary

Storms Are Sending More Debris Into Waterways

Our Dependence on Plastic Is Showing

The Future of Waterway Maintenance Still Needs People

Upcoming Conferences

New York State Federation of Lake Associations 44th Annual Conference
Maine Lakes Annual Conference
Aquarius Systems Aquatic Weed Harvesting Safety & Maintenance Seminar

June 2025 Newsletter

Mon, 04 Aug 2025 17:28:38 +0000

From Beer to Beavers Why Water Quality Matters

A Message from Our Leader: Hazy, Crazy Summer at Aquarius Systems

Study Links Tap Water to PFAS in Craft Beer

Making a Dam Difference in Oregon

Protecting Lake Coeur d’Alene from Hidden Pollution

Upcoming Conferences

New Hampshire Lakes Lakes Congress
Maine Lakes & Lake Stewards Annual Conference

April 2025 Newsletter

Sun, 03 Aug 2025 17:20:09 +0000

Protecting Water with Innovation & Conservation

A Message from Our Leader: Plastic Pollution in our Waterways

Celebrating Earth Day: A Commitment to Our Planet

Floating Debris Removal System Cleans Milwaukee’s Kinnickinnic River

Loss of Aquatic Plants Threatens Lake Mattamuskeet

Upcoming Conferences

Colorado Lake & Reservoir Management Association Spring Conference
Michigan Lakes & Streams Association 64th Annual Conference
New York State Federation of Lake Associations Annual Conference
2025 Aquatic Weed Harvesting Seminar
New Hampshire Lakes Lakes Congress

Urban Water Cleanup Protects Wildlife and Natural Scenery

Fri, 23 May 2025 17:55:53 +0000

Aquatic Debris Skimmer Keeps Local Waterways Clean and Safe

Thu, 03 Oct 2024 18:52:11 +0000

How much trash does the Mississippi River funnel from the heartland to the ocean?

Thu, 01 Feb 2024 15:06:19 +0000

Although many people might think oceanside cities bear the responsibility to keep plastic and trash out of the water, the Mississippi River can act as a funnel for that trash from the heart of the country to the Gulf of Mexico. The Mississippi River drains more than 40% of the continental U.S. – just how much debris does it take along with it?

That’s what a group of researchers and environmental advocates wanted to find out when they began a litter analysis of a handful of cities along the river a few years ago. This fall, they released what they’re calling the “first-ever snapshot of the state of plastic pollution along the Mississippi River.”

About 80,000 litter items were logged during the study’s data collection period.

Plastic was the top material found in and around the river, making up 75% of the total trash. Paper and lumber was next at 9%, followed by metal at 7%, glass at 5%, and personal protective equipment like masks at 2%.

The top 10 most commonly found items included:

11,278 cigarette butts
9,809 food wrappers
6,723 beverage bottles
5,747 foam fragments
4,239 hard plastic fragments
4,210 paper and cardboard items
3,882 plastic bags
3,640 aluminum or tin cans
3,260 foam or plastic cups
3,149 film fragments

Other notable finds include 825 masks, 480 items of clothing and shoes and 291 pieces of fishing gear.

Read More https://mississippitoday.org/2023/12/29/mississippi-river-trash/

NOAA Marine Debris Program

Wed, 20 Sep 2023 17:58:37 +0000

Marine debris is a global problem that threatens the health and safety of oceans and coastal waterways. Marine debris can damage sensitive habitat that supports fisheries and can harm protected species. Marine debris also has economic impacts. These impacts are felt by those whose livelihoods are linked to the sea, yet in many cases the costs remain unknown. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Marine Debris Program (MDP) is working to close this information gap in order to better understand the marine debris problem and prioritize removal and prevention efforts.

The NOAA Marine Debris Program (MDP) supports national and international efforts to research, prevent, and reduce the impacts of marine debris. The MDP serves as a centralized capability within NOAA, coordinating and supporting activities within NOAA and with other federal agencies, as well as using partnerships to support projects carried out by state and local agencies, tribes, non-governmental organizations, academia, and industry.

Learn More https://marinedebris.noaa.gov/

Plastic Debris in the Charlestown Harbor Negatively Impact Marine Life

Wed, 20 Sep 2023 17:38:29 +0000

The “pristine” Charleston estuary waters in South Carolina, are in worse shape than most people think. At least 7- ½ tons worse.

That’s how much plastic is estimated to be breaking down in the tide and waves of Charlestown Harbor, its tidal rivers and creeks. The total comes from a study by a research team from The Citadel. The assessment doesn’t even gauge how much of that plastic already has come apart into microscopic fragments, fibers or balls.

Nobody knows yet how far the wastes degrade water quality or human health, but troubling studies of the impact on marine life are starting to emerge. Sooner or later, a portion of the plastic waste gets eaten by marine critters such as shrimp. It can kill them, or be eaten by humans.

Bag Bans Will Keep Harmful Plastic Out of the Ocean

Wed, 20 Sep 2023 16:40:45 +0000

Around the world, people dump about 20 million tons of plastic into the ocean every year, much of it in the form of flyaway plastic bags. This waste doesn’t get magically swallowed by the ocean–it lingers indefinitely, posing a threat to marine life and to human health.

Picking up garbage in the ocean is an expensive proposition, so the smart solution is to stop this waste at its source. That’s why California—with its 840-mile coastline and a 13-billion-bag-a-year habit, just became the first state in the nation to ban single-use plastic bags.

Plastic in the ocean doesn’t disappear; it can stay intact for decades in the ocean, where they can hurt marine life as well as human health. Whales and turtles mistake floating bags for squid or jellyfish, and seabirds, like albatross, feed bits of plastic to their chicks—eating plastic can lead to starvation, malnutrition, or internal injuries. Some plastics contain toxic substances that can kill or harm reproduction in fish, shellfish, or any marine life.

Read More https://www.nrdc.org/bio/peter-lehner/bag-bans-will-keep-harmful-plastic-out-ocean