Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme

PEIN Country Profile and Virtual Environment Library

Marshall Islands

Environmental Concerns and Constraints

Participatory consultations, supported by studies of relevant policy and technical documents, resulted in identification of seven key environmental concerns: solid and hazardous waste management, contamination of ground and rain-water supplies, destruction of coral reefs, pollution of coastal waters, extremes and trends in sea level, accelerated coastal erosion and a potential for over-exploitation of renewable and non-renewable resources.

Key Environmental Issues and Challenges

Environmental Indicators. RMI's environmental indicators (Appendix 6) suggest that improvement in environmental quality and performance has been minimal. With growing population numbers and densities, especially in the urban centers, there is increasing pressure on the environment and natural resources. This is indicated in the increased number of contaminated water sources, particularly rainwater catchments, as homes are too close together. Other consequences are

pollution of coastal areas and shorelines, and contamination of groundwater.

There is potential for improvement in RMI biodiversity conservation through establishment of protected areas. Currently there is only one formally established protected area: Jaluit Atoll lagoon, with an area of approximately 700 square kilometers. The Jaluit Atoll Conservation Area (JACA) was established in 1999 as a community-managed marine and terrestrial conservation area. The program has included traditional resource management systems as well as modern monitoring and rehabilitation programs. The Marshall Islands Marine Resources Authority (MIMRA) is currently working with Local Governments to develop and establish community-base management and protected areas in Arno, Likiep, Majuro and Mejetto.

Overview of Key Environmental Concerns

Solid and Hazardous Waste. In the past, solid waste was disposed of near homes, and left to decay on the ground. Back then, population density was low and most of the waste was biodegradable, presenting few ecological problems. Now, however, high birth rates and inward migration from the Outer Islands have contributed to high population densities in Majuro and Ebeye Atolls. This in turn has necessitated importation of basic foodstuffs that are usually canned, or packaged in other non-biodegradable materials. When combined with the mentality and habit of

disposing of solid waste indiscriminately, this trend has led to households producing substantial quantities of both biodegradable and non-biodegradable solid waste. For instance, waste generation on Majuro atoll is about 0.5 kilograms/person/day (International Waters Project, 2005). About 50% of this is organic waste.

In addition to the general solid waste issue, there is also concern about the amounts of toxic or hazardous waste associated with the importation of vehicles, particularly in the urban centers, and also with such devices as high voltage transformers and batteries for electrical appliances.

Garbage dumps that also result in land reclamation have been developed to address the solid waste problem. Trash is collected weekly from 60 trash bins throughout Majuro and taken to the landfill where it is dumped, spread and compacted. The waste stream includes all putrifiable waste, including vegetative waste. However, to date, there is no screening of waste material prior to disposal, leading to indiscriminant dumping of hazardous wastes. Other shortcomings include

insufficient surface cover material for landfills, lack of disease vector control, minimal gas control mechanisms and air monitoring, poor facility access and security, poor run-on/run-off control systems, and no record keeping.

The situation in the Outer Islands is no better, despite the smaller volumes of waste involved. For example, in Jaluit waste production per person and per household is thought to be about the same as for Majuro (Appendix 2). Solid waste is disposed of, unscreened, in an area separated from the lagoon by a sea wall (gabion basket). When the tide is exceptionally high (2 or 3 times a month), waste floats over the sea wall and into the lagoon.

To address the solid waste problem on Majuro, an inter-government agency task force (Solid Waste Task Force) comprising of Majuro Local Government (MalGov), the Ministry of Public Works, MIMRA, MIVA, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Office of Environmental Planning and Policy Coordination (OEPPC) and the Chamber of Commerce, has been established, with responsibilities including developing policies and strategies to minimize waste production (including public education and recycling of aluminum cans, glass, tires and green waste), selection and design of new long-term landfills, coordination of tasks, and advising

Cabinet on measures and mechanisms to reduce waste production. However, to date, the Solid Waste Task Force has not been effective in addressing the issues.

A barrier that has impeded improving the performance of landfills and of land reclamations is the lack of a formal system of land use planning and development of regulations. The Planning and Zoning Act 1987 mandates Local Governments to develop land use plans and zones and establish building codes. However, to date, there has been little progress, largely due to the complexity of the land tenure system in the RMI and the low capacity of Local Government to act on the mandate.

Contamination of Ground- and Rain-water Supplies. The structure and climate of the atolls has restricted the quantity and quality of fresh water supply in the RMI. The source of drinking water varies from area to area, but for the country as a whole around 70 per cent of homes use rainwater for drinking (RMI Statistical Yearbook, 2003). To address shortcomings in water supply, the National Government distributed more than 3,000 water catchments to residents in both the

urban centers and the Outer Islands. In addition, there are plans to construct another water reservoir to improve the security of water supply in Majuro Atoll.

While the supply of water is being addressed, there is a major concern regarding the quality of drinking water. Tests covering both Majuro and the Outer Islands indicate high and, in some cases, increasing levels of contamination.

Destruction of Coral Reefs. A major concern for both Government and the general public is mining on the reef and lagoon shorelines, contributing to rapid erosion, especially in various parts of Majuro and Ebeye. Moreover, the sand and gravel aggregates in these areas are non-renewable and there is increasing awareness that the mining of these resources is at present unsustainable.

The destruction of coral reefs is more pronounced adjacent to the urban centers as there is an increasing demand for housing and infrastructure development. Although there are various activities that contribute to the destruction of coral, the three most destructive activities are dredging, channel blasting and boat anchoring. Primarily on Majuro and Ebeye, sand and gravel for construction is extracted by dredging from the lagoonal intertidal and nearshore zones. This has heavily impacted the adjacent reefs. For instance, with suction dredging, the displaced sand and sediments are carried by ocean currents and deposited on reefs, leading to coral death.

Pollution of Coastal Waters. Pollution of coastal waters is particularly serious near urban centers and other developed areas and is usually related to: (i) discharges from fishing and other vessels, (ii) leaching and/or run-off from landfills, grave sites, and pig and chicken pens. High levels of nutrients in the marine environment encourages invasive alien macroalgae to grow over coral colonies and block out sunlight. Corals rely, in part, upon nutrients derived through a symbiotic

relationship with marine plankton (dinoflagellates) known as zooxanthellae.

Reduced sunlight could disrupt the photosynthetic process carried out by the zooxanthellae and result in the demise of the affected coral colony. Invasive macroalgae could potentially alter the benthos from a diverse coral community to a monotypic environment. Monotypic environments support fewer species of macroinvertebrates and fish species, marine organisms that are important to the daily diets of RMI residents. Thus, normal subsistence harvesting activities may be significantly disrupted by invasive species. Alien species invasions are an important consideration for residents of outer atolls, since these communities rely upon marine organisms for subsistence purposes.

Extremes and Trends in Sea Level. Due to the low elevation of the atolls, and the concentration of development in the coastal areas of all islands, extreme high tides, storm surges and the gradual rise in sea level due to global climate change present a high risk to the RMI (Appendix 1). High sea levels contribute to coastal flooding and to greatly accelerated erosion. Extreme low sea levels impede navigation and expose reefs, stressing the reef ecosystem and possibly contributing

to coral bleaching. To date, coral bleaching in the RMI has been limited to small coral communities in shallow water environments.

Accelerated Coastal Erosion. A recent study (SOPAC, 1997) of Majuro Atoll, but with implications for all of the RMI, reported that most of the ocean and lagoon coastlines are erosional. Shoreline retreat of 10 to 20 m has occurred in some places.

Coastal erosion is caused both by natural and human factors and activities. Factors that cause coastal erosion include: a) sea-level rise; b) dredging; c) channel blasting; d) inappropriate design of landfills; e) vegetation clearing; and f) land reclamation. Storm surges, high waves, sea-level rise, subsidence, and tsunamis are natural processes that contribute to overwash and erosion of coastal shorelines. Of great concern is the cumulative impact of extremely small scale beach

and coast mining. Anecdotal evidence suggests that, on Majuro Atoll at least, nearly every land owner engages in this activity.

Without intact stable shorelines, the integrity of local infrastructure such as roads, airports, buildings, and residences may be threatened. Furthermore, significant amounts of salt water may infiltrate the groundwater and degrade drinking water sources, wetlands, and agriculture (e.g. taro patches). Shoreline processes can maintain the integrity of tropical islets and islands and are influenced by such factors as coastal hydrology, deposition, storm patterns, vegetation, and coral reefs.

Humans can play a positive role in preserving vegetation and coral reef communities to maintain intact shoreline processes. Intact native vegetation communities are ideal for stabilizing shorelines since native plants have evolved to survive in tropical environments, tolerating tropical heat, humidity, salt water, extreme sunlight, and storms. Native vegetation communities function as soil binders, maintaining coastal berms and forests. These communities are part of the dynamic

coastal process, well adapted to conforming to shifting shorelines. Alternatively, seawalls are static, immobile objects that do not conform to the ebb and flow of shorelines. Sea walls may become undermined in light of shifting shorelines, and no longer function. Furthermore, seawalls and other similar construction activities often disrupt or displace native vegetation communities. Intact coral reef communities are also ideal for protecting shorelines. Coral reefs function as buffers, dispersing wave energy that would otherwise contribute to the erosion of coastal shorelines. However, coral reefs in Majuro atoll are susceptible to direct destruction and sedimentation from poorly designed dredging and filling practices. Also, alien species, such as

invasive macro algae, may degrade reefs by growing over coral colonies and blocking sunlight. Other negative impacts that contribute to the degradation of coral reefs include pollution, anchor damage, and coral bleaching.

Potential for Over-exploitation of Renewable and Non-renewable Resources. There is a growing threat of overfishing of in-shore areas. To date there has been little assessment of the ability of coastal fisheries to support even the relatively small size of the current catch. Catches of fish and shellfish are believed to be declining in lagoons and inshore reefs. Reasons for this decline are known to include over-exploitation and the use of destructive fishing methods. Overexploitation

has resulted from a combination of increasing size, and the use of overly efficient, and sometimes destructive fishing methods. The use of modern materials such as monofilament nylon for gill nets, for example, has made fishing effort more effective. In some cases destructive fishing methods, including the use of explosives and chemicals such as bleaching agents and cyanide, have caused damage to the marine environment and the killing of many small fish and marine organisms. Other activities such as wharf and near-shore infrastructure development have affected marine habitats.

Off-shore, Yellowfin tuna is nearing full exploitation. If the fishing effort is maintained at the current rate the yellowfin tuna stock will be overfished. The bigeye tuna stock is, however, reported to be fully exploited and the current level of exploitation is therefore unsustainable. There should be no increase in the bigeye tuna fishing effort, with future catches of bigeye from the RMI's EEZ not exceeding recent catch levels (SPC National Fishery Status Report, 2004).

Removal of a large biomass of target fish stocks may have impacts beyond these stocks, including influencing the survival, recruitment and abundance of other species, some of which may also have a high fishery value (e.g. billfishes). Due to the poor state of knowledge, the impact of fishing on these species is uncertain. Other species also interact with fisheries. For example, turtles, seabirds and marine mammals are sometimes captured accidentally by longline and purse-seine

operations. In some cases mortality of these species occurs. Although the impact of fishing activities on these species relative to other factors is unknown (e.g. destruction of modification of nesting beaches, indigenous hunting, removal of eggs from nests, trawling operations adjacent to nesting beaches), conservation advocates have given special attention to longline fisheries. Considerable effort is being expended in redesigning gear to reduce the capture of these species, especially in the longline fishery.

The EPA is concerned that continuing extraction of sand and gravel aggregate from the reef, beaches and nearshore areas of Majuro Lagoon is unsustainable and may be contributing to shoreline erosion. Where present dredging is close to the shoreline it will also hinder the future reclamation and development of those areas. Social pressures are mounting for the provision of additional land by reclamation of the nearshore lagoon, but this will require fill material to both restore the volume previously removed and raise the reclaimed area to a suitable level (SOPAC, 2004).