A group of 20 volunteer divers have removed more than 100 kilograms of rubbish from waters surrounding Singapore’s famous Raffles Lighthouse.
Ropes, plastic and glass bottles, and a tyre were among the items collected by the volunteers during an underwater cleanup to mark the recent World Oceans Day.
The event was organised by the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) to raise awareness of the importance of Singapore’s marine environment.
Jeremy Seaward, one of the divers who is a regular volunteer at MPA’s marine conservation programmes, said: “Generally, the waters are quite clean. The trash that we found was mainly nylon ropes, glass bottles and fishing lines. We also saw some interesting marine life that we don’t usually see elsewhere in Singapore waters.”
The data gathered on the types and sources of the items collected will be compiled under Project AWARE’s Dive Against Debris programme, a global survey of marine rubbish which contributes to understanding and tackling the sources of pollution.
Thanking the volunteers for their efforts, MPA chief executive Andrew Tan said: “Marine pollution not only poses potential hazards to navigational safety but also affects the environment and marine life.
“Keeping our waters clean is a shared responsibility. We can show the world that Singapore can be a busy port as well as a marine environment rich in biodiversity.”
