850 lbs of trash removed during 2019 Local International Beach Clean Up

Keep Nassau Beautiful
Press Release
Contact: Lynda Bell
Executive Director
[email protected]
October 1, 2019

165 Volunteers removed 850 pounds of Litter and Debris from Nassau County coastlines and parks as Part of World’s Largest Single-Day Coastal Cleanup

Nassau County Volunteers Joined Hundreds of Thousands Worldwide during Ocean Conservancy’s 34th International Coastal Cleanup

Thanks to the 165 volunteers who participated with Keep Nassau Beautiful in Ocean Conservancy’s 34th International Coastal Cleanup (ICC), Nassau County reported its single largest coastal cleanup event, Sept. 21, 2019. In addition to removing approximately 850 pounds of trash from an estimated 11.5 miles of Nassau County coastlines, beach parks and parking lots, site coordinators contributed to the world’s largest database on marine debris by logging each trash item in Ocean Conservancy’s TIDES database. Scientists, researchers, industry leaders and policymakers rely on Ocean Conservancy’s Ocean Trash Index to inform policy and determine solutions to the growing marine debris crisis.

Volunteer Mike Cole at work during International Coastal Cleanup Day

Keep Nassau Beautiful coordinated the event and served as co-captain at several sites. Local site captains included Amelia Island Julz, Amelia Island Beach & Marine Life Conservancy, Beach Junki, and Eight Flags Jeep Club. New to the Amelia Island event as a site captain and educator was First Coast Surfrider. Corporate Day of Service events were hosted by Wells Fargo (Goffinsville Park) and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, San Jose ward, Jacksonville (Dee Dee Bartels). Amelia Island Coast Guard Auxiliary Flotilla educated volunteers and beachgoers on environmental concerns for our beaches and water created by litter and debris.

Wells Fargo brings young and old to take park in coastal cleanup.

With Beach Raker and Rollins Snelling Beach Cleaning Service working Amelia Island Beaches on a daily basis, event volunteers were able to focus on dunes, parking lots, and surrounding parks. The cleanup data proves there continues to be a need for volunteer collection to keep harmful litter, debris, and specifically plastics out of our oceans. Volunteers removed approximately 1,600 cigarette butts, and 500 plastic, glass and aluminum beverage bottles. If plastic straws and plastic bottle caps are added to the beverage bottles count that number increases to more than 700 pieces of beverage related litter left behind by those who enjoy the beaches. In addition, more than 700 small pieces of plastic were collected from the coastline. These microplastics cause significant harm to our wildlife, and still unknown the damage microplastics will do to human beings as they make their way thru the food chain.

Thank you for doing your part to keep Nassau County clean, green and trash free. Everyone everywhere can take a few easy steps; pack in and pack out when enjoying beaches, rivers and lakes, take a personal pledge to reduce the use of one single-use plastic item daily, and be a litter-getter by rolling up your sleeves and picking up trash left behind by others.

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Kathie Kirts
Kathie Kirts (@guest_55920)
4 years ago

Congratulations on an impressive and well organized beach and surrounding areas clean up.