Earlier when tires were being dumped into the oceans people thought it was a good idea to get rid of waste and to create artificial reefs, but it completely backfired. In the rough and corrosive environment of the ocean, nylon straps wore out and snapped, cables rusted, and tires broke free.
Thousands have been tossed up on U.S. shores, as deadly weapons of the sea, particularly during hurricanes. Others that broke free migrated shore ward and ran into a living reef tract, climbing up its slope and killing everything in their path. Chemicals released by the tires have actually led creating a ‘dead zone’ that is now inhibiting coral growth on the surrounding natural reefs
Millions of tires, usually bundled with nylon straps or steel cables, were cast into the sea off Australia, New Zealand, Malaysia and off the U.S. states of New York, New Jersey, North Carolina, California and Florida.
The Fort Lauderdale project drew together a host of government and military agencies to salvage the tires cheaply. US Army and Navy divers, who are using the operation as a training exercise, are currently in the process of removing tires from the reef that have become loose.
The operation, which for now will only remove the 700,000 tires that have come loose, should be completed by 2010. The tires removed from the reef will be burned as an energy source for a paper recycling plant in Georgia. Next time people want to use the ocean floor as a dumping ground they should think twice!
Source: Reuters