Toxic Pollution Threatens Guam

By Catherine Byers

Like every other country in the world, Guam struggles with pollution problems caused by the citizens, industry and fueling cars, trucks and airplanes. Everyday human activity in the country is hurting the environment, economy, and the health of the people. Nonpoint pollutants mix together during a storm and are transported into the coastal waters by storm water. Soil is becoming contaminated with pollutants and there is an excess amount of soil being distributed to the land by construction sites. The transportation of these toxic mixtures into coastal water causes major damage to reefs and marine life.

The coastal waters of Guam are one of their most important tourist assets and without it, it can damage the economy. The Guam Coastal Management Program from the Guam Government explains the threat that pollution is causing their country on the website govinfo.gov. In the summary, this program explains in detail to the citizens of Guam the causes of this pollution and their plan to stop it.

Everyday activities such as driving or home construction release pollutants into the air and soil. The pollutants such as bacteria, viruses, pesticides, chemicals, and fuels mix together during a storm, creating a toxic mixture that gets added into the soil from the rainwater. Since storm water is untreated, the pollutants continue to be mixed with the water, leaving the storm water toxic.

Toxins such as pathogens contaminate the beaches of Guam. Citizens and tourists cannot use the beaches recreationally because of health hazards. Not only does this affect the health of the people, but also the economy of Guam. The beaches in Guam are the most important tourist asset to the economy since it is the biggest attraction. Pesticides also fill the coastal waters, killing marine life, plant, and animal. Not only does this affect the health of the environment, but it also takes the beauty of the waters away from tourists.

The beaches and coastal waters in Guam are greatly affected by pollutants, but so is the soil. As chemicals and bacteria build up in storm water, the soil is becoming a toxic mixture as well. According to govinfo.gov, construction sites contribute to about 160 tons of soil each year to the toxic mixture. By adding more soil, the toxic mixture grows, making it harder to control and clean. Certain geological processes such as erosion naturally help filter the storm water that is absorbed in the ground. The soil turns into thick sediment that is transported by the storm water into the coastal waters, covering the surface. Reefs and marine life die because of the lack of oxygen and sunlight exposure. Marine life also dies due to the toxic mixture in the sediment. Sediment covering the waters has also decreased the spawning of reefs. The environment becomes in danger and so does the economy due to the popularity and importance of the reefs.

There are many actions that can be taken in order to decrease pollutants in the water and beaches. The Guam Coastal Management Program has many plans set in place in order to keep the environment, citizens, and tourists safe from the dangers of pollution. The construction sites that cause the distribution of massive soil into the environment are to follow performance standards in order to maintain less distribution of soil and pollutants to the environment. Companies are to also follow the environmental health regulations as a form of protection to the environment.

The only issue regarding these solutions is the fear of total power within the government. The Guam Government plans to ease into these new regulations slowly to keep their citizens from feeling threatened. Citizens can help reduce pollution by spreading awareness and decreasing certain everyday activities. People can carpool or use public transportation in order to reduce air pollution that forms into a toxic mixture. Citizens can also limit the amount of waste they are discarding, for toxins in the waste can also form a toxic mixture in storm water. To do this, they can reuse and recycle plastic and metal in which toxins are found in. The Guam government is confident that with the help of their citizens, they can help save their beautiful beaches and coastal waters, so that the environment and tourism will flourish, helping to strengthen Guam’s economy.          

         

Work Cited

Summary of the Guam Nonpoint Source Pollution Management Plan, Guam Coastal Management Program,  www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/CZIC-td225-g83-s86/html/CZIC-td225-g83-s86.htm.