Estimated 2.7 tonnes of litter removed by over Mayo 450 volunteers in Big Beach Clean

Clean Coasts received overwhelming support and commitment from volunteers and communities across Ireland for the Big Beach Clean weekend, which took place between September 20 and 22.

This year, a record number of over 600 clean-ups were organised by volunteers who removed over 95 tonnes of litter nationwide, making this Clean Coasts’ largest clean-up event yet.

In Mayo, over 25 groups comprising more than 450 volunteers removed an estimated 2.7 tonnes of marine litter, with clean-ups taking place in various locations.

This included a group of 10 volunteers from Wild Atlantic Yoga and Ross Sea Swimmers, who came together to clean the back beach of Ross, Killala. The group removed over 40kg of waste, which included plastic bottles, nappies and fishing-related waste that had been accumulating in an area adjoining the beach.

Over 20 volunteers, young and old, from Mulranny Environmental Group and the 12th Mayo Mulranny Scouts joined up to complete a clean-up of Mulranny Beach on Saturday, September 21. They collected approximately 84kg of litter on the day.

Clean Coasts joined forces with Kia Ireland who supported the initiative this year by providing clean-ups kits and supplies to our volunteers throughout the country.

The Big Beach Clean is an annual call to action that runs as part of the International Coastal Cleanup (ICC), operated internationally by Ocean Conservancy. It invites communities and volunteers around the country to remove litter from around the Irish coast after the end of the bathing season.

Each year this initiative is also an opportunity for Big Beach Clean volunteers to get involved in a worldwide citizen science project, which entails collecting the amount and types of litter on Irish beaches and filling in Clean Coasts’ Marine Litter Data Cards to share with Ocean Conservancy, which helps heighten awareness about the issue of marine litter, serving as an indicator of the magnitude of the problem and shaping future policies and campaigns.

In 2023, the top three items recorded during the Big Beach Clean weekend were plastic caps and bottles, cigarette butts and food wrappers.

Data from the International Coastal Cleanup has led to policies banning single-use plastics such as bags, straws and utensils, and has influenced global efforts to reduce ocean pollution. It has contributed to international agreements, national waste management reforms, and extended producer responsibility programs.

These findings also support initiatives like littering fines, improved recycling, and the promotion of a circular economy. Additionally, the data helps raise public awareness and drive educational programmes on sustainable practices to protect marine ecosystems.

Clean Coasts welcomed the support of Kia Ireland and enjoyed meeting with dealerships across the country, who also got involved in clean-ups in their area.

Cathal Kealey, head of marketing and PR at Kia Ireland, commented: “Kia Ireland was delighted to support the 2024 Big Beach Clean initiative from Clean Coasts and witness the dedication and hard work of the Clean Coasts staff and volunteers throughout the country.

“Their work is truly inspiring, with many of them out there every weekend, come rain or shine, making a huge difference to Irish beaches, and for that we want to say a huge thank you.”

Bronagh Moore, Clean Coasts programme manager, An Taisce, added: “We’re delighted to see so many volunteers and community groups across the country take part in the Big Beach Clean. This year’s event was the largest yet and is a powerful reminder of the collective impact we can make when we work together.

“The dedication and support of all of these groups is hugely inspiring and we thank each and every one of them for their contribution. We would encourage everyone to stay involved, keep active in their local Clean Coasts Group and enjoy the many benefits that come with volunteering in the community.”