Big Beach Clean is underway

CLEAN Coasts’ Big Beach Clean is taking place this weekend (September 15 to 17) all over Ireland, with a number of events here in Mayo.

Clean Coasts is once again teaming up with the International Ocean Conservancy for the International Coastal Cleanup event.

Last year, internationally, 789,138 volunteers in more than 100 countries collected nearly 9,300 tonnes of marine litter during the event. In Ireland, 157 clean-ups took place, involving over 3,000 volunteers, with 18 tonnes of marine litter removed from the coastline.

As in previous years, cigarette butts - which contain plastic filters - topped the list at approximately 2.4 million collected.

During the Big Beach Clean, volunteers are asked to carry out marine litter surveys to quantify the amount and types of litter on Irish beaches. These surveys are aimed at heightening awareness about the issue of marine litter and serve as an indicator of the magnitude of the problem.

This year Clean Coasts have teamed up with Coca-Cola and Centra to spread the word about the Big Beach Clean and take action to clean up our coastline.

Coca-Cola staff based in Dublin, Ballina, Wexford, Drogheda, Lisburn, Cork and Tuam will get involved in the clean. Three flagship events are planned, including at Enniscrone.

Clean Coasts programme are also partnering with Centra stores based in the heart of coastal communities to encourage their shoppers to take part in the event.

Mayo clean ups got underway today and will continue right across the weekend. Locations for clean ups include Cross Beach, Louisburgh, Keel beach, Keel Strand, Achill Island, Shore Road Beach, Belmullet, Annagh Island, Carrownisky, Killadoon, Silver Strand, Carrowmore, White Strand, Lecanvey, Bertra, Doughmakeon, Rinroe, Ross beach, Killala, Gubnahardia Beach, and The Valley, Achill Island.

Among the first to hit the beach playing their part were the pupils of Killeen National School who visited Carrownisky beach and collected 15 bags of rubbish and three fishing boxes.

You can find details of cleanups on https://oceanconservancy.org/trash-free-seas/international-coastal-cleanup/map/?location_id=36038