Almost 400 Mayo volunteers remove 2.3 tonnes of litter in Big Beach Clean

Almost 400 volunteers across Mayo removed an estimated 2.3 tonnes of litter from the county’s beaches, coastline, towns, villages and inland waterways during this year’s Big Beach Clean.

The Mayo effort formed part of a nationwide Clean Coasts campaign which saw around 9,700 volunteers take part in almost 500 clean-ups across all 26 counties.

An estimated more than 58 tonnes of marine litter was removed nationally during the initiative.

The annual Big Beach Clean, organised by Clean Coasts, brings communities together to tackle litter while also collecting valuable information about the types and quantities of waste found along Ireland’s coastline and waterways.

Volunteers record the litter they collect using Clean Coasts’ Marine Litter Data Cards. The data helps identify the sources and patterns of marine litter and can inform future policies and actions aimed at reducing pollution.

Clean Coasts Programme Manager Bronagh Moore thanked the thousands of volunteers who took part across the country.

“Once again it was great to see thousands of volunteers show up across the country to support the Big Beach Clean,” she said. “Together we are making a tangible difference in keeping our beaches clean and in protecting our marine life.”

She also thanked local authorities, Kia Ireland and the Department of Climate, Energy and Environment for their support.

The Big Beach Clean provides an opportunity for communities to make a direct contribution to protecting the environment, while highlighting the scale of the litter problem facing coastal and inland areas.

Clean Coasts is encouraging volunteers to remain involved with their local groups and continue taking action in their communities beyond the annual clean-up weekend.