How human waste threatens wildlife

The situation is entirely different when it comes to human litter: tin cans, drink cups, plastic bags, cigarette butts and chewing gum are carelessly discarded and can be life-threatening to animals.

While owners of so-called pets can intervene in an emergency, wild animals are defenceless against these risks. Peter Höffken, a specialist adviser at PETA, has compiled what makes litter so hazardous and how people can take precautions to ensure their waste causes no harm.

“Hardly anyone gives any thought to how harmful litter is to wildlife,” says Peter Höffken. “Birds, for example, can become entangled with their feet in strings and rubber bands, foxes get their heads stuck in cans and may suffocate in the worst case when trying to reach food scraps. Anyone who follows a few simple rules can save lives.”

Rubber bands, strings, nets and tea bag tags:

For birds strings, nets, rubber bands and broken fishing lines are particularly dangerous. With their delicate legs and feet, animals can become so entangled that entire body parts are constricted and die off (this can often be observed, for example, in city pigeons). Tea bag tags are especially problematic at rubbish dumps, where birds and other animals search for food and become knotted in them.Foxes, hedgehogs, wild boar and dogs are omnivores and can easily pick up strings or rubber bands (accidentally) while foraging. If these constrict around the intestines, it is life-threatening. Animals can also become tangled, constricted and injured around their feet.Aquatic animals such as fish or crayfish also suffer from human litter. Plastic packaging is only slowly broken down by the elements, often ending up as microplastics in streams, rivers and lakes, thereby endangering entire biotopes. Waterbirds suffer particularly from discarded fishing lines and hooks, which frequently cause life-threatening injuries.

Tips:

• Always dispose of rubber bands in household waste and cut them beforehand. When rubbish is thrown into public bins, it can easily end up back on the street when crows or other animals rummage through them in search of food.
• Always cut tea bag strings and nets before disposing of them in the bin.

Tin cans, drink cups and yoghurt pots:

Time and again cats, foxes, badgers and other wildlife get their heads stuck in tin cans while trying to reach food scraps and can, in the worst case, suffocate, die of thirst or starve.

Tips:

• Always crush cans and cups before disposal.
• Do not leave either of them in the wild, but always crush them and dispose of them in the bin — ideally at home.
• Use reusable drink cups.

Bottles and drink cans:

Attracted by residual drinks, particularly small animals such as beetles often die inside drink cans or bottles. They can also become a deadly trap for small mammals such as mice.

Tip:

• Do not leave bottles and drink cans lying around, but dispose of them in a wildlife-friendly manner.

Plastic bags, plastic film, packaging:

Birds incorporate plastic film into their nests. When water can no longer drain away properly, young birds risk drowning or suffocating. Even large birds such as storks can become entangled in plastic bags with their long legs. Fast food packaging carelessly thrown from cars can cost wildlife such as raccoons, foxes or martens their lives when they attempt to reach the supposed food scraps on the road.

Tips:

• Use reusable jute bags. Those who cannot avoid buying a plastic bag should reuse it or dispose of it at home, so that it cannot blow out of open bins or be pulled out by wildlife foraging for food.
• Pick up any plastic litter lying around outside and take it to the nearest bin for disposal.
• Never throw rubbish out of a car window.

Cigarette butts:

Cigarette butts are dangerous to many wild animals a danger and must never be carelessly thrown on the ground. If, for example, foxes or wild rabbits pick them up, they can be poisoned and in the worst case die from it. The plastic also clogs their stomachs and can cause the animals to starve. Cigarettes also cause great damage in puddles of water, because toxic substances such as nicotine, tar, prussic acid, dioxins or heavy metals make the water toxic. If wild animals drink from puddles, they can be poisoned. According to researchers at the University of San Diego, a single cigarette butt is enough to contaminate one litre of water to the point where fish die in it.

Tip:

• Use portable ashtrays with lids, take cigarette butts home and dispose of them in the general waste.

Chewing gum:

Chewing gum takes over five years to decompose. It is often mistaken for food by animals or accidentally ingested. In the worst case, the sticky mass can block the stomach and lead to death.

Tip:

• Never carelessly throw chewing gum on the ground, but take it home and dispose of it in the general waste.

You can help all animals and our planet with compassion. Choose compassion on your plate and in your glass. Go vegan.