About 10kg of rubbish was collected at Avoca Beach on Sunday, September 24, as part of Ocean Conservancy’s International Coastal Cleanup.
Plastic Free Avoca Beach, together with an army of enthusiastic volunteers, conducted the clean-up, with roughly half of the items recyclable.
Spokesperson Jan Aitchison said the number of plastic containers and glass bottles was noticeably less than in previous clean-ups but more than 250 cigarette butts, five balloons and fishing wire and tackle were collected from rocks at the beach.
“Discarded fishing gear continues to be one of the major risks to marine wildlife,” Aitchison said.
“We urge people to be mindful of what they leave behind on the beach, and the danger it can pose for seabirds and other marine animals.”
International Coastal Cleanup partners with volunteer organisations around the globe to help remove rubbish from beaches and waterways.
The global organisation has been operating for more than 35 years, and in that time 17 million volunteers have collected more than 150,000 tonnes of rubbish.
“Even with these huge numbers, every small action can make a huge difference,” Aitchison said.
“Every plastic bottle, every plastic straw, every small piece of rubbish that is collected leads to a cleaner, healthier ocean.”
Plastic Free Avoca Beach encourages anyone who is passionate about clean, healthy oceans to join the community organisation.There will be another beach clean-up on Avoca Beach on March 3, 2024, for Clean Up Australia Day.
More information about how to join Plastic Free Avoca Beach and details of future events can be found at www.plasticfreeavocabeach.org or email info@plasticfreeavocabeach.org
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Plastic Free Avoca Beach