After a break in 2020, the Big Beach Clean took place last weekend with 1.6 tonnes of litter removed.

The Big Beach Clean is an annual call to action that takes place in September at the end of the bathing season. Volunteers around Ireland were asked to register their clean up event and take part in a worldwide citizen science project, as part of the International Coastal Cleanup (ICC), operated internationally by Ocean Conservancy.

This year, a record number of over 400 clean-ups were organised by volunteers who removed 42 tonnes of litter across the country. In addition, more volunteers joined clean-ups facilitated by Clean Coasts officers in 8 different locations around Ireland.

In Clare, volunteers organised clean-ups in 16 different locations, removing approximately 1.6 tonnes of marine litter. Among them, volunteers from Clean Coasts group Keep Lahinch Clean organised a clean-up that saw also local kids from the surfing school get involved after their class and collected over 10 bags of marine litter.

Sinead McCoy, Coastal Communities Manager stated, “This year there was a significant increase in clean-ups organised, but in a different format: we saw more people registering for clean-ups as individuals or within their household. This year, there was an over 5% decrease in litter found across Ireland. Overall this is an incredible improvement. The work that Irish volunteers do all year round to tackle litter and less waste dropped by more conscious beach users mean that we are heading in the right direction”.

Big Beach Clean volunteers have also taken part in an excellent worldwide citizen science project that will help shape future policies and campaigns to help protect our ocean. The project entails collecting the amount and types of litter on Irish beaches and filling in Clean Coasts’ Marine Litter Data Cards. This will help heighten awareness about the issue of marine litter and serve as an indicator of the magnitude of the problem.

Once more, volunteers were asked to join the call to action, no matter how far from the coast, thanks to the involvement of An Taisce National Spring Clean programme. Statistics show that the number one cause of marine litter is litter dropped in towns and cities and getting involved in the Big Beach Clean has been a way for residents of non-coastal counties to help prevent litter entering our waterways tackle the problem at its source.

Related News

Lisdoonvarna Matchmaking Festival
Closing hours extended in Lisdoonvarna for match-making festival
Supermacs-Plaza
New legal challenge against €10m Supermac's Plaza makes 'mockery of planning system'
conor mckenna 1
'Secretaries have been papering over the cracks from Dept under-funding' - Inch principal issues support to workers on strike
mobile banking 1
Phishing scam under investigation in Ennis
Latest News
mobile banking 1
Phishing scam under investigation in Ennis
sixmilebridge v whitegate 28-08-22 16 conor whelan
Strong finish helps Whitegate edge Bodyke in thriller
éire óg v st josephs miltown 20-08-23 gavin murray darragh mcdonagh eoin o'brien 1
Collisions on course following senior, intermediate & junior football quarter-final draws
pamela mccarthy scoil chríost rí 1
'We don't want freebies, we want what we're entitled to' - school secretaries & caretakers seek pension parity
shannon airport giveaway 2
Shannon Airport giving away 80 flights during month of September
Premium
'We don't want freebies, we want what we're entitled to' - school secretaries & caretakers seek pension parity
'We won't be afraid of anyone' - excitement building in Ennistymon for Clare SFC quarter-finals
Coolmeen claim last Clare IFC quarter-final spot with dramatic finish
'Hard-fought wins' for Cratloe has paved way to quarter-finals
Clare PIHC: Tulla draw knocks out Killanena, Tubber thump Parteen/Meelick & Magpies fall to another shock defeat

Advertisement

Subscribe for just €3 per month

If you’re here, you care about County Clare. So do we. Did you rely on us for Covid-19 updates, follow our election coverage, or visit The Clare Echo every week for breaking news and sport? The Clare Echo invests in local journalism and we want to safeguard its future in our county. By becoming a subscriber you are supporting what we do, will receive access to all our premium articles and a better experience, while helping us improve our offering to you. Subscribe to clareecho.ie and get the first six months for just €3 a month (less than 75c per week), and thereafter €8 per month. Cancel anytime, limited time offer. T&Cs Apply. www.clareecho.ie.