In order to define the littering we must first define the word litter. Litter refers to different waste products such as containers, papers, and wrappers that have been disposed onto streets, yards and remote areas. This means “littering” is the pollution of our environment by different litter waste. Littering not only destroys our beautiful Bahamian environment but it also affects wildlife, human health and the economy.
Littering and irresponsible disposal of garbage in our environment is a very important issue, which many people overlook. Although people know littering is an illegal act, many continue to carelessly scatter their trash around nonetheless. Litter creates toxins and pollutants that are harmful to our environment. When Bahamians throw glass bottles and cigarettes in bushes and along the roads the sun reflects off of them, resulting in a fire igniting. The smoke from the fire will soon fill the air, slowly polluting and destroying the atmosphere.
Litter is harmful to wildlife also. They may ingest the plastic and paper then suffer from serious illness. Small animals crawl into bottles and jars looking for food and may become stuck and slowly starve to death. Littering not only affects land creatures but marine life as well. Many marine animals confuse plastic bags, balloons, bait packets, candy wrappers and rubber with prey and eat them. Plastic bags and balloons floating in the water look like jellyfish. Turtles often eat them and choke or starve to death because they have so much plastic in their stomachs.
In addition, illegally dumped items containing hazardous waste can harm the environment and have a potentially negative impact on human health. Food, packaging, and other materials left to rot provide a fertile breeding ground in which bacteria thrives, resulting in a health hazard for those that come into contact with it. Litter can