Annual Oregon beach clean up nets more than 52,000 pounds of debris
More than 4,000 volunteers, working in perfect weather, hit Oregon’s beaches Saturday in a clean-up effort that netted 52,480 pounds of debris.
The haul, sponsored by the non-profit group SOLVE, included a substantial amount of what appeared to be insulation and lumber from building projects, but nothing that would be considered unusual or unexpected, said Briana Goodwin, program coordinator.
Volunteers had been told to be on the look out for material washing up from the tsunami that devastated a number of Japanese coastal towns in March 2011, she said, but little of that was in evidence.
“Some items, such as drink bottles had Asian-language markings on them, including some in Japanese,” Goodwin said. “But these have been around years so there was really nothing new in terms of what was collected.”
The total amount of material was on par with recent clean-up efforts. Last year, just over 60,000 pounds was collected, with 2011’s total weighing in at about 52,000 pounds.
About 7,500 pounds of the collected debris will be recycled through Washed Ashore, a Bandon-area non-profit agency, she said.
This marked the 29th year in a row that SOLVE has sponsored a spring beach clean up. The 30th annual fall clean up will take place Sept. 28.
“However you look at it, that’s an awful lot of garbage that was picked up off Oregon’s beaches today,” Goodwin said. “Now, the beaches will be just that much more clean for everyone to enjoy.”
The haul, sponsored by the non-profit group SOLVE, included a substantial amount of what appeared to be insulation and lumber from building projects, but nothing that would be considered unusual or unexpected, said Briana Goodwin, program coordinator.
Volunteers had been told to be on the look out for material washing up from the tsunami that devastated a number of Japanese coastal towns in March 2011, she said, but little of that was in evidence.
“Some items, such as drink bottles had Asian-language markings on them, including some in Japanese,” Goodwin said. “But these have been around years so there was really nothing new in terms of what was collected.”
The total amount of material was on par with recent clean-up efforts. Last year, just over 60,000 pounds was collected, with 2011’s total weighing in at about 52,000 pounds.
About 7,500 pounds of the collected debris will be recycled through Washed Ashore, a Bandon-area non-profit agency, she said.
This marked the 29th year in a row that SOLVE has sponsored a spring beach clean up. The 30th annual fall clean up will take place Sept. 28.
“However you look at it, that’s an awful lot of garbage that was picked up off Oregon’s beaches today,” Goodwin said. “Now, the beaches will be just that much more clean for everyone to enjoy.”
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