Join 450 Clean Coasts volunteers for the Big Beach Clean in Mayo

Twenty-five groups and 450 volunteers who reside in Mayo are all set to join Clean Coasts for the Big Beach Clean this September 20 to 22, supported by Kia Ireland to make a positive impact on the Irish coast and waterways.

With the deadline for registering fast approaching, this is a final reminder to volunteers to sign up before September 11 to avail of free kit (while stocks last).

The Big Beach Clean is part of the International Coastal Cleanup (ICC) organised by the Ocean Conservancy, and 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 join a worldwide citizen science project.

Volunteers are set to host a beach clean or join an existing one.

In 2023, over 400 groups registered to host a clean-up, with 7,700 Clean Coasts volunteers removing a staggering 46 tonnes of litter all across the country. This year looks set to see groups from all over Ireland turn out in huge numbers.

Last year, Mayo had over 400 volunteers who took part in the 2023 Big Beach Clean and made a huge difference to their county, collecting 2.4 tonnes of litter.

This year, clean-ups will be happening in various locations, including Ballyhaunis, Castlebar, Louisburgh and Newport. A list of clean-ups happening in Mayo as part of the Big Beach Clean can be found on the Clean Coasts website. Whether you’re an individual looking to set up a private clean up or a bigger group looking to host a public one, you’ll find all the information you need on www.cleancoasts.org.

Each item of litter collected and submitted via Marine Litter Data cards or the Clean Swell app is shared with Ocean Conservancy, who will use the information received to create reports and advocate around the world to tackle the problem of ocean litter.

Group efforts in Ireland will contribute to global data collected, which can influence significant environmental policy changes worldwide, including the banning of certain plastic items like bags and straws or the implementation of laws to prohibit smoking on beaches. The data collected by our volunteers in previous years have informed national campaigns such as 'Bin the Butt' and 'Break Up With Plastic'.

Litter on our beaches comes from many sources including drains and the streets of our towns and cities, so it is important to ensure these areas are kept clean and litter free. In joining forces with the National Spring Clean programme, the Big Beach Clean also encourages residents from non-coastal communities to register and help prevent litter from entering our waterways and ocean.

In 2023, the top three items recorded during the Big Beach Clean weekend were plastic wrappers, cigarette butts and plastic bottles. Overall, the 2024 International Coastal Clean-up Report from Ocean Conservancy found that the top three items found on beaches worldwide in 2023 were cigarette butts, plastic bottles and bottle caps.

A recent national litter survey by business group Irish Business Against Litter (IBAL) revealed that since the introduction of the government’s Deposit Return Scheme, there has been a fall in cans and plastic bottles on the streets, contributing to an overall improvement in litter levels.

There was a rise in the number of sites deemed clean across the country, with a significant fall in those judged to be ‘heavily littered’. Cigarette butts, one of this year’s top marine litter offenders, remains stubbornly high, present in 31% of the 500+ sites surveyed by IBAL.

Cathal Kealey from Kia Ireland said: “Kia Ireland is delighted to see so many community groups and individuals nationwide signing up for the Big Beach Clean. As a brand committed to our journey towards carbon neutrality, we are proud to support such an important initiative.

“Our support will ensure that clean-up kits are distributed to volunteers that sign up to registered clean-ups across the country. In line with to our global clean-up initiatives that are designed to combat ocean pollution, we would urge as many people as possible to register for their local beach clean this September. We are looking forward to joining some of the many groups across the country from the weekend of September 20 to 22, and beyond.”

Bronagh Moore, An Taisce’s Clean Coasts manager, added: “We are thrilled to see such large numbers already signed up for the Big Beach Clean 2024. It’s a fantastic way for individuals, clubs and communities to come together and be part of a powerful movement working to protect our coastlines and waterways. By recording and reporting on the litter collected, we are not only cleaning up our beaches but providing important data that that can influence and lead to impactful global campaigns and changes in policy. It’s a great opportunity to be involved in a global effort to protect our ocean.”

Registrations will close at 5 p.m. on September 11. For more information and to register, visit www.cleancoasts.org.