DON'T TRASH MISSION BEACH

STYROFOAM BOOGIE BOARDS & PADDLE BOARDS

Cheap, single Day-Use Styrofoam boards are one of the most common types of litter left on tourist beaches. Many make it for only one ride and break easily. Made with Styrofoam, they break into millions of Styrofoam pellets littering the tideline and are easily eaten by marine animals. 

Animals mistake the white pellets for food and it clogs up the stomach-gullet wherein the animal literally starves to death. The pellets are toxic and a probable carcinogen based on benzene. When marine animals eat Styrofoam, it works it way up the food chain and eventually into humans 

• In 2006, the United Nations Environment Program estimated every square mile there was 46,000 pieces of floating Styrofoam in the oceans that can kill all kinds of birds and fish. 

• A Californian case study showed that 162 marine species, mostly seabirds, were reported to have eaten Styrofoam and other plastics.

It is not only the board itself, but hundreds of broken leashes are strewn all over the beach. Animal get caught in the leashes and die.
The outside nylon material on $9.00 boogie covering is just as toxic. The harder boogie boards such as Moray have an outside strap which easily comes off, adding more plastic to the ocean. 

Not So Fun Fact

• Much of those white glimmering pieces in the sand are actually Styrofoam. 

• Broken Boards are a global issue. 

• Polystyrene does not biodegrade .

• Parks and Recreation Department does not go on the ‘wet’ shoreline to pick up boogie boards. 

• There is no way to pick up all the Styrofoam on the beach from broken boards. 

• San Diego banned Styrofoam  (2018) on beaches until the Restaurant Industry decided to sue. 

• An estimated 750,000 Boogie Boards are sold in the USA annually

• An estimated 3,000 Boogie Boards are left on Mission Beach annually

• Boogie Boards are a global problem.

  • Boogie Boards are composed of:

  • Cheap toxic fabric covering

  • Leashes with three parts

  • Side parts on foam boogie boards come off

  • All of these parts are found on the beaches daily

EFFECT ON THE ENVIRONMENT

• Styrofoam and foam are deadly to marine animals.

• Marine animals mistake the pellets for food and eat them, resulting in starvation and death

• The sand is filled with gleaming white pellets - those pellets are Styrofoam and toxic to marine life

WHAT YOU CAN DO

• Don't purchase, rent instead.

• Buy better boogie boards that last

• Recycle or put broken boards in trash cans

• Never, never, never leave them on the beach

Fun Facts

• The Styrofoam can be recycled. 

• Styrofoam has been banned in many cities, states and countries around the world. 

• Scientists are discovering a few animals such as barnacles and meal worms that appear to safely consume plastic 

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