NEPA Spearheads Activities for Intl. Coastal Clean-Up Day

Come tomorrow (Saturday, September 16), the National Environment and Planning Agency (NEPA) will be spearheading clean-up activities along the Half-Moon Bay Coast in Hellshire, St. Catherine and the Rio Grande in Portland, in observance of International Coastal Clean-up Day.
Globally, it is expected that thousands of volunteers from some 130 nations will collect debris from lakes, rivers and coastlines in their respective countries.
The activities of NEPA will form part of clean-up efforts on a wider coastal level, being co-ordinated by the National Environment Societies Trust (NEST).
Acting Manager of the Integrated Watershed and Coastal Management Unit, NEPA, Ainsley Henry told JIS News that, “the main purpose of International Coastal Clean-up Day is to collect data on the type of debris that is found in coastal areas”.
Mr. Henry explained that the analysis of the debris collected, “gives us an idea of how much garbage is being deposited in the marine environment annually, where it is coming from and what we need to target to change that”.
According to a report from NEPA, during last year’s clean-up, 1,477 Jamaicans covered 72 miles and collected 25,410 debris items weighing 7,044 pounds. There was a predominance of food related materials, such as bottles and styrofoam plates discarded by beach users.
Mr. Henry told JIS News that over the years, there has been a significant amount of household chemical bottles found, among other types of debris.
By collecting this information and demonstrating to people how much of their waste, particularly household garbage, end up in the marine environment, it is hoped that it would inspire more responsible behaviour, Mr. Henry said.
NEPA has co-opted volunteers from schools, service organizations, churches, their own staff as well as that of corporate sponsors to participate in the venture. Clean-up activities will last from 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
This year marks the 20th anniversary of the observance of International Coastal Clean-up Day and the 12th year that Jamaica will be participating in the international event.
Persons wishing to participate in the activities to preserve the marine environment may be a part of any of the projects taking place around the island.