Media Contact: Sinead McCoy Telephone: 087 1347950 Email: smccoy@eeu.antaisce.org Clean Coasts’ Big Beach Clean 2017 Join the world’s largest coastal cleanup @CleanCoasts#BigBeachClean Clean Coasts Big Beach Clean weekend will take place on the 15th, 16th and 17th of September 2017 . We are delighted to team up again with the International Ocean Conservancy for the International Coastal Cleanup event. In 2016, over half a million volunteers in 112 countries removed 8 million kg of marine litter from the world’s oceans. Clean Coasts are inviting volunteers to join this global coastal movement for litter free seas and be part of the world’s largest coastal cleanup and marine litter survey. Removing marine litter from our beautiful coastline helps protect our coastal habitats and marine life. Last year 120 cleanups took place in Ireland during the Big Beach Clean weekend. This year we are on course to surpass that total. Join the movement for litter free seas and register a cleanup for the Big Beach Clean weekend www.cleancoasts.org . Volunteers receive a free clean up kit containing bags, gloves, health and safety information, data cards and hi-vis vests. During the Big Beach Clean, Clean Coasts volunteers are also asked to carry out marine litter surveys to quantify the amount and types of litter on Irish beaches. These surveys are aimed at heightening awareness about the issue of marine litter and serve as an indicator of the magnitude of the problem. Speaking about the Big Beach Clean, Sinead McCoy, Clean Coasts National Manager said, “We are so lucky in Ireland to have such spectacular sandy beaches and rocky shores but each year millions of tonnes of litter enter our seas and oceans causing environmental, economic, health and aesthetic challenges. We all have a responsibility in caring for our coastline so the Clean Coasts programme is inviting volunteers to join this global coastal clean-up helping remove marine litter from our beautiful coastline and aid in the protection of our coastal habitats and marine life”. Notes to the Editor: Clean Coasts Clean Coasts engages communities in the protection of Ireland’s beaches, seas and marine life. The programme is operated by the Environmental Education Unit of An Taisce and is currently funded by the Department of the Housing, Planning and Local Government, and Fáilte Ireland. Clean Coasts is made up of two elements; Clean Coasts volunteering and the Green Coast Award. The Green Coast Award is an award for beaches that meet the excellent standard for water quality as set out in the revised Bathing Water Directive (EC 2006/7/EC) but may not have the necessary built infrastructure to achieve Blue Flag status. An important element of this award is that these beaches have a beach management plan in place and that the local community are engaged in this process. The Clean Coasts volunteering effort engages communities in the protection and conservation of their local coastal environment. There are currently over 500 registered Clean Coasts groups. There are a variety of group types such as community groups, residents associations, tidy towns groups, sports clubs, schools, businesses, universities etc. Clean Coasts organises hundreds of beach clean-ups annually mobilising thousands of volunteers, removing considerable quantities of marine litter from Ireland’s beaches and waterways. The Marine Litter we find During Clean Coasts Week in May and The Big Beach Clean in September Clean Coasts volunteers carry out marine litter surveys to quantify the abundance and types of marine litter on Irish beaches. These surveys are aimed at heightening awareness about the issue of marine litter and serve as an indicator of the magnitude of the problem. We have found that plastic bottle caps tend to be the number one culprit. Plastic bottles, aluminium drinks cans and cigarette butts tend to be amongst the highest ranking litter items found. Other common items generally in the top ten include food packaging, sweet wrappers and fishing litter such as rope and string and sewage related debris/litter such as baby wipes and cotton bud sticks are also often in the top ten litter items found on Ireland’s beaches. We do also find some unusual items like a shopping trolley handle, a computer keyboard, shoes and even a steering wheel!

FAQs Archive - Page 7 of 10

Big Beach Clean 2018 – 28th August 2018

By bfbritton|2020-01-15T15:03:27+00:00August 28th, 2018|

Clean Coasts’ Big Beach Clean 2018 Join the world’s largest coastal cleanup @CleanCoasts#BigBeachClean Clean Coasts’ Big Beach Clean is taking place on the weekend of the 15th, 16th & 17th of September all over Ireland. Clean Coasts is once again teaming up with the International Ocean Conservancy for the International Coastal Cleanup event. In 2017 as [...]

Launch of Coca-Cola Clean Coasts Week – 29th May 2018

By bfbritton|2020-01-15T15:04:20+00:00June 12th, 2018|

Kian Egan encourages the nation to ‘Do Good’ to ‘Feel Good’ this Coca-Cola Clean Coasts Week Research confirms the range of health benefits of ‘doing good’; another reason to get involved in the 300 events and clean-ups taking place this week to protect and celebrate the Irish coastline 1st – 10th June 2018 With support [...]

Ocean Talks and Ocean Hero Awards – 21st November 2017

By bfbritton|2020-01-15T15:07:53+00:00November 22nd, 2017|

Media Contact:Sinead McCoy Email: smccoy@eeu.antaisce.org Phone: 087 1347950// 01 4002210 Clean Coasts Ocean Talks and Ocean Hero 2017 The Clean Coasts programme was delighted to host Ocean Talks with our Ocean Hero Awards on 21st November 2017 at the Royal College of Physicians, Dublin. The presence of marine litter in our oceans is a [...]

Love Your Coast Awards – 31st October 2017

By bfbritton|2020-01-15T15:07:59+00:00November 1st, 2017|

Clean Coasts’ Love Your Coast Photography Awards 2017 Clean Coasts’ Love Your Coast Photography Awards were held on 31st October in Smock Alley Theatre, Dublin 2. Micheal John O’Mahony, Director of the Environmental Education Unit of An Taisce, presented the prizes to the winning photographers. Ireland has some of the most spectacular and [...]

Big Beach Clean 2017

By bfbritton|2020-01-15T15:08:03+00:00September 15th, 2017|

Media Contact: Sinead McCoy Telephone: 087 1347950 Email:smccoy@eeu.antaisce.org Clean Coasts’ Big Beach Clean 2017 Join the world’s largest coastal cleanup @CleanCoasts#BigBeachClean Clean Coasts Big Beach Clean weekend will take place on the 15th, 16th and 17th of September 2017. We are delighted to team up again with the International Ocean Conservancy for the International Coastal Cleanup [...]

Ocean Hero Awards 2017 – 31st August 2017

By bfbritton|2020-01-15T15:08:10+00:00August 31st, 2017|

Media Contact: Olivia Jones Email: ojones@eeu.antaisce.org Phone: 087 2045259 Clean Coasts - Ocean Hero Awards 2017 ‘A Call to Nominate Ireland’s Ocean Heroes’ Friday 31st August 2017 The call for Clean Coasts’ Ocean Hero Awards nominations is now open. Clean Coasts are asking the public to nominate volunteers who they believe have made an [...]

Beach Rescue Project – 8th July 2017

By bfbritton|2020-01-15T15:08:15+00:00July 8th, 2017|

Media Contact: Olivia Jones, Coastal Programmes, An Taisce Telephone: 087 2045259 Email: ojones@eeu.antaisce.org Twitter: @CleanCoasts Website: www.cleancoasts.org Clean Coasts & Barefoot Wine Presents ‘Beach Rescue Project’ Strandhill, Co. Sligo Saturday 8th July 2017 The Clean Coasts Programme and Barefoot Wines are delighted to bring you the ‘Beach Rescue Project’ on the 8th of July in [...]

Annual Love Your Coast Photography Competition is Now Open for Entries 2017

By bfbritton|2020-01-15T15:08:23+00:00June 2nd, 2017|

Clean Coast’s Annual Love Your Coast Photography Competition is Now Open for Entries. Prize fund of €5,000 up for grabs across 5 Categories. Get your entries in by August 18th to be in with a chance of winning. Ireland has some of the most spectacular and diverse coastline in the world. Now in its 8th year, Clean Coasts’ Love Your [...]

New research launched ahead of Coca-Cola Clean Coasts Week 2017

By bfbritton|2020-01-15T15:08:27+00:00June 1st, 2017|

New research launched ahead of Coca-Cola Clean Coasts Week reveals that 95% of people experience litter on our coastline, but just 15% admit to littering Thursday, 1 June 2017: Research released by Coca-Cola at the launch of Coca-Cola Clean Coasts Week (2nd – 11th June) revealed that 95% of people across Ireland and Northern Ireland [...]

Blue Flag and Green Coast Awards – 22nd May 2017

By bfbritton|2020-01-15T15:08:34+00:00May 22nd, 2017|

Media contact: Ian Diamond (unavailable during awards 12pm to 2pm approx): 085 7480874, idiamond@eeu.ataisce.org Sinead McCoy 01 4002210; smccoy@eeu.antaisce.org 2017 Blue Flag and Green Coast Awards Recognise Ireland’s Best Beaches and Marinas A Record 88 Blue Flags and 61 Green Coast Awards awarded for the 2017 Season Today, An Taisce announced the International Blue Flag and [...]