Collective Beach Clean ups on Koh Tao
As with many areas of Thailand, Koh Tao has struggled to contain the effects of the huge use of single use plastics such as bags, straws and other items.
Unwanted Litter
This, along with a lack of correct disposal has seen our beautiful beaches become spoiled with unwanted litter, the majority of which washes ashore from the mainland and even from countries further afield.
This doesn’t just spoil the beauty of the many postcard picture beaches on our island, but also provides serious environmental challenges and health hazards for the huge biodiversity Koh Tao is famous for.
Effective Land Conservation Programs on Koh Tao
Luckily for Koh Tao we have many proactive businesses and dive centres that organize their own regular beach clean ups, as well as other island wide initiatives to coincide with national and international clean up events.
During our regular beach clean ups, we regularly find plastic water bottles, plastic straws, old fishing lines & nets as well as plastic bags and various plastic packaging.
Plastic Waste
One of the biggest waste products we find in our beach cleans ups are cigarette butts. People seem to believe that cigarettes are biodegradable but they are not.
The filters are manufactured from plastic fibres called cellulose acetate, which slowly break down into micro plastics and cause serious implications for marine life.
Local Businesses & Koh Tao Conservation Initiatives
On Koh Tao we have local initiatives including the cigarette butt challenge and at many beach front restaurants and resorts you will see dedicated disposal bins.
Our message is to increase the awareness of people, so if you see anyone throwing a cigarette on the ground, ask them politely to dispose of it correctly.
World Clean Up Day
Island wide land and beach clean-up events include World clean-up day, which is an annual social action program, organized on a global scale.
The purpose is to tackle the huge solid waste problems our planet has, including the problem of marine debris in our waterways, rivers, lakes, seas and oceans.
Social Action Programs & Global Waste
Global waste has become a significant problem for virtually every country around the world and the planet as a whole. Social action programs on a global scale are a great way to fight back and restore our beautiful planet for a sustainable future.
Each year the World Clean up organization hosts a global clean up campaign alongside many business partners and it is a great opportunity to get involved.
19 September 2020
People from around the world can join the next World Cleanup Day on 19 September 2020.
Over 20 million citizens in 180 countries took part in the 2019 World Clean up day and made a huge impact in the collection of trash worldwide.
Trash Hero Initiative on Koh Tao
One of the partners in world clean-up day is Trash Hero a volunteer led movement that organizes regular beach clean ups on Koh Tao.
Trash Hero spearhead’s the ‘bottles and bags’ program alongside locally based organisations such as Eco Koh Tao and new heaven conservation
International diving organizations such as PADI also support local clean ups and offer a Specialty training course for divers called Dive Against debris.
