Volunteers at the Big Beach Clean in Schull over the weekendAlmost 7 tonnes of litter were removed from Cork beaches over the weekend.
The Big Beach Clean took place across the country between the 17th and 19th of September, with volunteers organising clean ups at 80 different locations across Cork.
Almost 400 clean ups were organised nationwide with 42 tonnes of litter removed from beaches.
Marc McCarthy, a Clean Coasts volunteer based in Schull said: “I have been taking part in the Big Beach Clean for many years now. We like to bring the kids from local schools with us too, to raise awareness about the issue of marine litter and get them to be enthusiastic about doing a beach clean. The sea brings life, so for me, it’s vital to keep it clean, not only for marine life but also for people to enjoy it”
Sinead McCoy, Coastal Communities Manager, said: “After a break in 2020 due to Covid, we were excited to host the Big Beach Clean again, but we didn’t know what to expect. 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!”
