Ninety five tonnes of litter cleaned from Irish beaches over weekend
Ireland Clean Clean Weekend, Big Clean Than By Part With 600 Over 15,000 Took Organised Ups The Across Beach People More Coasts In Groups
More than 95 tonnes of litter was picked up over the weekend as part of the Big Beach Clean.
The event, an annual weekend where volunteers take to the coasts around the island armed with grabbers, bags and supplies, saw more than 600 clean-ups organised by the Clean Coasts group.
These clean-ups included many in Cork — with 40 people taking on Inchydoney.
Volunteers from Siúlóid at Clonakilty Community Resource Centre along with Clonakilty Tidy Towns, Inchydoney Island Residents Association and Inchydoney Island Lodge and Spa cleaned the beach while the sun was shining down on them.
In total, 12kg was picked up during the clean.
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 every August.
Previous environmental reports show the majority of marine litter comes from land-based activities and litter dropped in towns and cities ends up on our beaches.
Clean Coasts says the initiative is also an opportunity for volunteers to get involved with a worldwide citizen science project.
After every Big Beach Clean event, the litter that is picked up is noted and added into a global Ocean Conservancy data collection.
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.
Last year, the three items picked up most during the Big Beach Clean weekend were plastic caps and bottles, cigarette butts, and food wrappers.
Data from the ICC has led to policies banning single-use plastics like bags, straws, and utensils, and has influenced global efforts to reduce ocean pollution.
An Taisce, Clean Coasts programme manager Bronagh Moore said: “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”.