Estimated one tonne of marine litter was removed by volunteers from Meath beaches

An estimated one tonne of marine litter was removed by 175 volunteers in County Meath as part of the Big Beach Clean.

Clean-ups happened in various locations, including Athboy, Bettystown, Navan, Laytown and more.

In an extraordinary display of environmental stewardship and community spirit, 7,700 Clean Coasts volunteers rolled up their sleeves and removed a staggering over 46 tonnes of litter all across the country as part of the Big Beach Clean. That is the equivalent of 12 hippos!

Among them, Bettystown Tidy Towns joined the Big Beach Clean campaign on Bettystown Beach, where they found a few shoes, a beach towel, socks, underwear, straws, rope, packaging, two pallets and 3 lengths of decking wood. The most common types of litter found, however, were bottles, cans and sweet wrappers.

Clean Coasts also worked with local group Bettystown Tidy Towns, to tackle the issue of smoking related litter in the area and raise awareness of solutions. Bettystown Tidy Towns availed of the Clean Coasts grants scheme for the installation of several cigarette bins in popular spots around the town, promoting the campaign through social media, and recorded a decrease in smoking related litter.

Supported by Cully and Sully, the Big Beach Clean is part of the International Coastal Cleanup (ICC) organised by the Ocean Conservancy, and it entails an annual call-to-action for individuals, families, and communities to join forces to carry out a clean-up at the end of the bathing season and join a worldwide citizen science project.

This year's Big Beach Clean was also part of Clean Coasts 20th anniversary celebrations, and the charity programme was delighted to see volunteers from all walks of life, including community groups, Tidy Towns associations, students, families, local businesses, and environmental enthusiasts, unite with a shared commitment to tackle marine litter.

Cully and Sully, who sponsored the initiative commented: "What a tremendous clean-up effort by the nation again this year. It’s mind blowing to think nearly 8,000 people took some time this September to come clean up Ireland's shores and waterways. We hope this campaign has helped bring an awareness of the importance of preventing waste, disposing of it correctly and recycling where possible."

What’s next?

The next crucial step for volunteers who joined the initiative is for them to record the types and quantities of litter they collected on their local coastlines. By participating in this citizen science project, volunteers will contribute valuable data that will shape future campaigns and strategies aimed at preserving our oceans.

By recording the amount and types of litter collected, volunteers contribute to a comprehensive overview of the marine litter problem. The information collected is used to shape Clean Coasts' campaigns, events and resources for volunteers, initiating targeted actions against the top litter offenders. For instance, in 2022, the top three items recorded during the Big Beach Clean weekend were cigarette butts, plastic food wrappers and plastic pieces. These results were a starting point for the development of the Clean Coasts Anti-Smoking Litter campaign, as well as the creation of new resources for the Break Up With Plastic campaign.

Furthermore, data collected are shared with Ocean Conservancy, who will use the information received to create reports and advocate around the world to tackle ocean trash at a global scale.

During the summer, Clean Coasts also worked with Local Authorities and community groups to promote the #2MinuteBeachClean campaigns, providing beach goers with what they needed to do an impromptu cleanup, and highlighting the benefits of a clean environment on the mind and body.

Finally, Clean Coasts also worked with groups promoting the Enjoy And Protect campaign, focusing on the physical and mental benefits of spending time outdoors and protecting our environment. As part of this campaign, volunteers have organised several events, including yoga and beach cleaning series or kayak/SUP clean-ups.