World's Largest Volunteer Beach Cleanup Comes to Maine

September 17, 2015

For more information contact: Theresa Torrent at: 207-319-0996

The Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry's Maine Coastal Program, joins hundreds of thousands of people around world for the 30th annual International Coastal Cleanup. Coastweek, September 19th to 26th, is Maine's largest volunteer effort to clean trash from our coastal lands and waters.

This week hundreds of volunteers at many locations along the Maine coastline are participating in Coastweek, which is part of the 30th annual International Coastal Cleanup, the world's largest single day volunteer effort to clean up our beaches, lakes and rivers.

International Coastal Cleanup Volunteers do more than just pick up trash: they document every bag, bowling ball and bottle cap, contributing to the only annual index of global marine debris. This citizen science has informed policy, and led to a new area of scientific research.

Ocean trash compromises the health of humans and wildlife, and hurts local businesses that rely on a healthy ocean.

Last year, more than 500,000 people globally picked up 16 million pounds of trash along 13,000 miles of coastline. In Maine, volunteers found 10,484 pounds of trash in 2014.

Keeping our ocean free from trash is one of the easiest ways to make the ocean more resilient. From creating less trash to using proper trash disposal, everyone can help keep our ocean clean and free of debris.

Visit mainecoastalprogram.org and click on coastal cleanup and how to participate to find a listing of cleanups looking for volunteers, or contact theresa.torrent@maine.gov for more information.

Maine Coastal Program is working with you to protect the health of the Gulf of Maine. Together, we can work to maintain a healthy, productive and resilient ocean.

#