Scores of Volunteers Turn Out for ICC Day

Scores of volunteers turned out at Fisherman’s Beach in St. James and Jobson Bay Eco Beach Park in Trelawny on September 21 to participate in clean-up activities, as part of the International Coastal Clean-up (ICC) Day.

ICC Day is observed annually on the third Saturday of September and is dedicated to raising public awareness about the importance of coastal cleanliness and the detrimental effects of pollution on marine life.

More than 30 volunteers at Fisherman’s Beach were out as early as 7:00 a.m. to participate in the clean-up, showcasing community spirit and dedication to preserving Jamaica’s natural beauty.

Their efforts were part of a larger initiative that saw more than 12 beaches across St. James, Trelawny, Westmoreland, and Hanover benefit from clean-up efforts.

WPM Waste Management Limited’s Customer Relations Officer, Sharnon Williams, whose team spearheaded the clean-up activity at Fisherman’s Beach, emphasised that the public’s personal responsibility is to ensure their waste does not end up in the ocean.

“People must understand that it doesn’t stop here. We all have a personal responsibility to play our role in how we dispose of our solid waste. If you just throw the garbage anywhere, it may end up right in the ocean,” she said.

“So, I just want to encourage persons to bag their garbage, put them in bins, and we will come and collect it,” she added.

Meanwhile, at Jobson Bay Eco Beach Park, the clean-up was led by the Sandals Foundation, in collaboration with the Sea the Change Foundation.

Corporate Director for Sustainability, Sandals Resorts International, Kirsten McCarthy, said that further measures have been implemented at the site as part of their sustainability strategy.

“As well as removing the trash that you see on the beach today, we’ve also planted mangroves here in this particular location. Mangroves are really important to our ecosystem [as] they help absorb carbon emissions [and] contribute to biodiversity,” she pointed out.

“Of course, we’d love to be in a position where we didn’t have to do this at all. It would be fantastic if we could just walk along the beach and never see a plastic bottle again [so] at Sandals, we’re committed to driving out our single-use plastics,” she added.