In collaboration with the Dongsha Command of the Southern Coastal Patrol Office under the Coast Guard Administration, Executive Yuan, and other stationed units, our Headquarters held the “Dongsha 2016 ICC International Coastal Cleanup” on September 21, 2016, at Dongsha Atoll National Park—Taiwan’s national park established with marine ecological protection as its core mission. The event echoed the global ICC (International Coastal Cleanup) initiative participated in by more than 160 countries worldwide.
The ICC International Coastal Cleanup was founded in 1986 by the Ocean Conservancy (OC) in the United States. Its purpose is to encourage the public to remove debris accumulated along beaches and waterways worldwide. By identifying the sources of marine debris, the initiative aims to raise awareness about maintaining clean coastlines and to promote behavioral changes that reduce marine pollution.
This cleanup event mobilized nearly 130 participants from stationed units on Dongsha Island, including our Headquarters, the Dongsha Command, the Dongsha Detachment of the Fifth Coastal Patrol Corps, the Air Force, the Navy, Dongguang Hospital, and the International Marine Research Station of National Sun Yat-sen University. To ensure that participants fully understood the spirit and procedures of the ICC program, Director Chen Kuo-yung of the Dongsha Management Station delivered a marine conservation lecture on September 21, providing a detailed introduction to the objectives, operational methods, waste classification standards, and statistical reporting procedures of the ICC. The on-site beach cleanup was conducted in the afternoon.
After assembling at the National Monument, participants were divided into groups. Following more than two hours of intensive effort, approximately 1,600 meters of shoreline were cleaned, and a total of 1,200 kilograms of various types of debris were removed. The collected data and statistics will be submitted to the Ocean Conservancy for compilation, contributing to global monitoring and analysis of marine debris sources and supporting further prevention efforts. Deputy Commander Li Chih-hao of the Dongsha Command also encouraged stationed personnel to not only safeguard national security and conduct patrol duties but also to actively protect the natural ecology of this blue homeland.
According to the results of this cleanup and the long-term beach debris surveys conducted by the Dongsha Management Station, most of the beach waste on Dongsha originates from mainland China and Southeast Asian countries, accounting for over 60% of the total debris. The majority consists of petrochemical plastic products such as PET bottles, foam, and Styrofoam. Scientific research has confirmed that these non-biodegradable materials, if left in the marine environment for extended periods, can break down into microplastics that enter organisms through the food chain, causing severe ecological impacts. It is hoped that more members of the public will actively participate in the future, join in safeguarding our marine ecosystems, and engage in ocean-friendly initiatives.
