Only three years ago, blue roofs dotted the Virgin Islands landscape. Blue tarpaulin was used in disaster repair efforts for those whose roofs had been damaged or blown away during hurricanes Irma and Maria, and while the tarps initially served as temporary fixes, some tarp roofs can still be seen today. During the disaster recovery, the Army Corps reportedly issued 3,663 blue tarps across the Virgin Islands, but several other organizations also took part in recovery efforts, including FEMA. However, FEMA did not keep track of the number of tarps given out to residents, making it difficult to ascertain the total number of tarps issued throughout the territory. With potentially thousands of tarps being unaccounted for, the St. Thomas Source roughly estimated that about 10% of the population still had tarp roofing as of September 2019. A portion of the 10% includes homes that are presently occupied, while in other cases, tarps remain simply because the home has been abandoned. What is concerning about this is that there are environmental issues that arise when a temporary tarp roof becomes long-term.
A standard tarp is made out of the plastic polyethylene, which when exposed to UV sunlight over long periods of time becomes brittle and deteriorates. Tarps used in recovery projects were generally meant to last for 30 days to 6 months. However, they can last up to five years. And while an old tarp may seem to be intact, it is likely breaking apart in small bits, causing microplastics to be carried on the wind and runoff until they eventually end up in the ocean. Across the globe, microplastics have been found on beaches, in the rainwater, and in the stomachs of marine species, with larger plastics being responsible for many deaths due to choking. Research continues to be conducted on the impacts of microplastics on single cell organisms, larger animals, and humans. And although the consumption of microplastics may seem like a nonissue to some, there are chemical factors to consider that may be more harmful than we think.
Plastics are made from fossil fuels that contain hydrocarbons, which act as magnets for cancer causing toxins such as pesticides and PCBs. The image of plastic sucking up toxins from our waters may seem beneficial, but despite these absorptive properties, plastics also have the potential to leach other chemicals into the water that were added during their own manufacturing. Additives in blue tarps may include UV stabilizers, colorants, and fire retardants. When these chemicals leach into the ocean they end up creating a hazardous environment for marine life while also posing an internal threat for any species who ingests the microplastics. Microplastics are likely to sink to the seafloor where they are consumed by plankton, coral, and other seafloor dwelling creatures. Much like the accumulation of mercury in fish, the toxins within microplastics will transfer and accumulate as they move up the food chain. This is where humans have the most to fear. The plastics we throw out and litter our environment with come back to us on our dinner plates.
Blue tarps have been a saving grace for many people in the aftermath of the hurricanes, and they only make up a small portion of plastic pollution. A bigger issue lies with common single-use plastics like water bottles, plastic bags, and food wrappers. As visitors and residents of St. John we have the responsibility to dispose of our waste appropriately in an effort to keep our beaches clean and preserve our natural environment, not only for the sake of our wildlife, but for the sake of ourselves and the generations to come.
Written By Lili Clendenin