KOROR, Palau — Palau’s once-pristine waters and iconic rock islands are drowning under a rising tide of plastic and marine debris, much of it drifting in from neighboring countries. With no end in sight, the problem continues to grow, despite ongoing cleanup efforts.
“Our rangers and community groups are out there every day and every weekend collecting bags of trash, but it never ends,” said Dora Benhart, Outreach Officer at Koror State’s Department of Conservation and Law Enforcement.
Marine debris—especially plastic—has been steadily increasing around Palau’s waters in recent years. Cleanup efforts barely make a dent in the daily influx of trash.
“We have been seeing more debris coming in, but more so since 2020, after COVID,” said Max Sasao, a Palauan dive guide. “We see, for example, lots of face masks included in the floating debris. Maybe during COVID, countries were not managing their waste properly.”
Prevailing easterly winds and tides push trash into sensitive areas, including Ngeroblobang and the rock islands on the eastern side. A local tour boat operator, with decades of experience, described the growing problem: “The waves bring the trash close to the rock islands, and the wind blows them up the side of the rock islands so you can see plastic caught in the trees and the rock island walls.”
Nearly all of the trash washing up in Palau’s waters is foreign in origin. “We know that these come from countries in Asia because of the language on the labels and the type of products they contain, because they are not sold in Palau’s stores,” Benhart said.
Sasao added that Palau’s location at the edge of the Coral Triangle—a global biodiversity hotspot—makes it a magnet for both marine life and marine debris. “Because of the same ocean currents that bring us biodiversity, we also get their trash,” he said.
The presence of trash in Palau’s waters creates a sense of shame, even though it’s not locally produced. “We feel ashamed when we see them,” Benhart said. “We know we don’t generate the trash, but we still don’t want our visitors to see it in and around our rock islands.”
Koror State continues its cleanup efforts, but the scale of the problem is daunting. Partnerships with NGOs, community groups, and private organizations have been critical. For example, the Japan Association of Palau helps collect marine debris nearly every weekend, bringing the trash to Koror State for proper disposal. The state separates redeemable items and provides funds to the volunteers for fuel and other cleanup costs.
Koror State also encourages visitors and locals to participate through its “Scoop and Go” program, providing bags and tools for collecting trash. Benhart explained, “If they go out, collect, and bring a trash bag, we’ll sort them out, dispose of the trash, and cash out redeemable bottles for them.”
Funding remains a challenge, as tourism revenue—critical for state operations—has not recovered to pre-pandemic levels. Programs have been scaled back, with fewer cleanups and limited boat routes. Visitor sites are prioritized for cleanup, but many areas remain neglected.
The problem extends beyond Koror. Marine debris, much of it plastic, is washing up across Palau, including Babeldaob’s east coast, Kayangel, Peleliu, Angaur, and the southwest states, transforming once-pristine beaches into floating dumpsites.
Palau’s national government is aware of the crisis. In 2023, Palau, as chair of the Pacific Small Island Developing States (PSIDS), warned that plastic pollution threatens the region’s cultural, economic, and social ties to the ocean. The growing marine litter problem impacts food security, human health, and critical industries like tourism and fisheries.
Without coordinated regional solutions, the burden of marine debris will continue to threaten Palau’s fragile ecosystems and its identity as a pristine paradise.