Alaska's New Found Problem

Do you remember the tsunami that hit Japan in 2011? Well, it appears that Alaska has suffered the aftermath of the storm. Cleanup crews discovered some beaches covered with polystyrene, also known as Styrofoam, threatening wildlife in the area. Apparently, the main concern of environmentalists is the light weight specs floating in the water, fragmented by storms and waves.

For some of you that do not know, Styrofoam is a man-made material used for insulation, packaging, among other uses. Furthermore, Styrofoam is unfortunately not biodegradable because it does not breakdown in the sun, making it last virtually forever (Reuters). It lasts forever, and it floats in the water near Alaska’s shores. Before the tsunami hit in Japan, the total Styrofoam debris in Alaska accountant for only 5 percent. After the tsunami, however, the percentage of Styrofoam in Alaskan shores increased to an astonishing 30 percent (Reuters). If you do the math, it increased six times more, and it is causing six times more damage.

If animals mistaken these specs for food, they could die. According to, Alaska’s Department of Environmental Conservation, the chemical and physical composition of Styrofoam can seep and absorb dangerous chemicals and contaminates in the water. This in turn can kill fish and other wildlife by blocking an animal’s digestive system causing it to die of malnutrition or starve.

Currently, there are a number of organizations conducting clean ups on beach clean ups ("Tsunami Debris..."). Some these organizations include, the Marine Conservation Alliance Foundation and the Island Charters. Hopefully they will succeed in cleaning the shores of Alaska and protecting the wildlife that remain.

Works Cited 

Reuters. "Styrofoam from Japan Tsunami Causing Fears for Alaska Wildlife." NBCNews.com. NBCNews.com, n.d. Web. 02 Feb. 2013. <http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/01/30/16776937-styrofoam-from-japan-tsunami-causing-fears-for-alaska-wildlife?lite>.

"Tsunami Debris and Other Marine Debris in Alaska." Tsunami Debris in Alaska. Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation, n.d. Web. 02 Feb. 2013. <http://dec.alaska.gov/commish/tsunami-debris/>.