Over 400 groups and more than 10,000 volunteers have already signed up for the Clean Coasts Big Beach Clean on September 20-22, supported by Kia Ireland. With the deadline for registering fast approaching, it’s a final reminder to volunteers to sign up before 5pm next Wednesday, September 11, to avail of a free kit, while stocks last. The initiative is part of the International Coastal Cleanup (ICC) organised by the Ocean Conservancy.
It is an annual call-to-action for individuals, families, and communities to join forces to carry out a clean-up at the end of the bathing season and be part of a worldwide citizen science project. In 2023, over 400 groups registered to host a clean-up, with 7,700 Clean Coasts volunteers removing as much as 46 tonnes of litter right across the coastline and inland waterways. Once again, An Taisce hopes to see volunteers turn out in big numbers.
Shared
Each item of litter collected and submitted through marine litter data cards or the Clean Swell app is shared with Ocean Conservancy. The information received will be filed in reports to help tackle the problem of ocean litter. Group efforts in Ireland will contribute to global data collected which can result in environmental policy changes worldwide, including a ban on plastic bags and straws or the introduction of laws to end smoking on beaches.
The Ocean Cleanup recently retrieved 55 tons of plastic from the Pacific Ocean in a single operation. The plastic was recycled and upcycled for use in the production of Kia electric vehicles. The electric vehicles also use 10 sustainable items that originated from recycled plastic, or were sourced from plant-based materials. The data collected by volunteers in previous years informed campaigns such as ‘Bin the Butt’ and ‘Break Up With Plastic’.
Information on the Big Beach Clean is available at www.cleancoasts.org
