Clean Coasts’ Big Beach Clean took place from 14th to 16th of September all over Ireland. Clean Coasts once again teamed up with the International Ocean Conservancy for the International Coastal Cleanup event.
This year the Big Beach Clean weekend in Ireland was the biggest yet, with
194 beach cleans took place around the coast of Ireland
Engaging 3,652 Clean Coasts volunteers
Removing over 32 tonnes of marine litter from our coastline
Each year millions of tonnes of marine litter enter our seas and oceans, resulting in environmental, economic, health and aesthetic challenges. Clean Coasts invited volunteers to join this global coastal clean-up helping remove marine litter from our beautiful coastline and in turn protecting our coastal habitats and marine life.
During the Big Beach Clean, Clean Coasts volunteers were 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.
Speaking about the Big Beach Clean, Sinead McCoy, Clean Coasts National Manager
said, “We are so lucky in Ireland to have such spectacular sandy beaches and rocky shores but each year millions of tonnes of litter enter our seas and oceans causing environmental, economic, health and aesthetic challenges. We all have a responsibility in caring for our coastline so the Clean Coasts programme is incredibly proud of the amazing volunteer effort that joined this call to action over the past weekend, helping to remove marine litter from our beautiful coastline and aid in the protection of our coastal habitats and marine life”.
