Trash issue now as controversial as crowds on Central Coast beaches

MONTECITO, Calif. - Whether you agree or disagree with people being allowed to go to area beaches under the COVID-19 rules, it's resulted in a large amount of trash including plastic bags piling up along waterfront gathering spots.

Environmentalists are calling for stepped up trash can dumping, more citizen responsibility and simply bringing fewer items to the beach.

Hillary Hauser with Heal the Ocean said, there is not enough patience and that " is part of the problem so people want to go to the beach and play and be with their friends."

One recommendation is to add more cans and more dumping schedules.

Some beach users say they were trying to be responsible if the cans were full.

Anna Morfit said,  "it can get overloaded but what we did was take it home and pack it out and hope others were doing the same." 

At Tar Pits in Carpinteria, "the sign said please take your trash home because the trash cans were full,"  said Eric Rundle who was there over the weekend.

When Tammy Miles saw the piled up trash areas, she said, we took it home with us put it in our cans so we didn't leave it there." 

 Heal the Ocean says just because we are facing one disaster,  we shouldn't create another one by trashing coastal areas.

"This is the time when we can really rise up and meet this with our resolve with our principals," said Hauser.

There's also been a call to have limited beach use in Santa Barbara County as is done elsewhere close by.

"What Ventura is doing is saying go to the beach,  get fresh air, walk,  walk your dog,  no chairs, lounges , umbrellas,  coolers  blanket no sitting around. This county needs to get to that right now!" said Hauser.   

She is planning to contact local officials on the Board of Supervisors, in public comments at the City Council meetings and also through the Sheriff's department.

"People just don't respect the environment  they just get rid of it any way you can. We have kind of taken a big step backwards," said Hauser who has led the fight for clean water and clean beaches for years. Heal the Ocean has worked to reduce septic tank use near the coastline and to cap old leaky oil wells on the Summerland coast.