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Podcasts Take Two
Where is the debris from the Japanese tsunami?
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Sep 20, 2013
Listen • 4:40
Where is the debris from the Japanese tsunami?
All up and down California, an estimated 70,000 people will join together this Saturday for the state's annual coastal cleanup, picking up trash on beaches, near creeks and in rivers.
RIKUZENTAKATA, JAPAN - MARCH 10: Large piles of household debris destroyed by the tsunami are seen at a sorting site on March 10, 2012 in Rikuzentakata, Japan. On the eve of the one year anniversary of the Tohoku earthquake and tsunami the effected areas have been inundated with families, friends and relatives, the limited amount of hotels in the area are full to capacity with the worlds media and people from across Japan arriving to take part in ceremonies paying tribute to the many people who lost their lives. The 9.0 magnitude strong earthquake struck offshore on March 11, 2011 at 2:46pm local time, triggering a tsunami wave of up to ten meters which engulfed large parts of north-eastern Japan and also damaged the Fukushima nuclear plant, causing the worst nuclear crisis in decades. The number of dead and missing amounted to over 25,000 people. (Photo by Chris McGrath/Getty Images)
Large piles of household debris destroyed by the tsunami are seen at a sorting site on March 10, 2012 in Rikuzentakata, Japan.
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Chris McGrath/Getty Images
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All up and down California, an estimated 70,000 people will join together this Saturday for the state's annual coastal cleanup, picking up trash on beaches, near creeks and in rivers.

All up and down California, an estimated 70,000 people will join together this Saturday for the state's annual coastal cleanup, picking up trash on beaches, near creeks and in rivers.

But contrary to what was expected, 2.5 years after the deadly earthquake and tsunami in Japan, very little of that debris has ended up on our coasts.

San Jose Mercury News environmental reporter Paul Rogers asks, 'where has it gone?'

Volunteers are still needed for the annual coastal cleanup on Sept. 21, which runs from 9 a.m. to noon. To volunteer, call 800-COAST-4U or visit the California Coastal Commission website.