JERSEY SHORE – Residents throughout the entire state volunteered their time to pick up litter or harmful debris found at the Jersey Shore.
The bi-annual initiative is a part of Clean Ocean Action’s (COA) Beach Sweeps, which held their 39th Fall Beach Sweeps recently.
Clean Ocean Action is a leading national and regional voice working to protect waterways using science, law, research, education and citizen action. Their Beach Sweeps are held every April and October and are the state’s largest volunteer driven, citizen science and environmental event.
The goal of the Beach Sweeps is to make beaches safer for marine life and more enjoyable for people. Volunteers strive for difference in the community while joining in on the beachy-clean fun. Unlike other cleanups, volunteers keep record of each piece of debris on COA’s data card.
Collected data is monitored for trends and analyzed so COA can work on advocating for new laws and policies for a positive change.
In Brick Township, they welcomed around 75 volunteers across Brick Beach 1, Brick Beach 3, and Windward Beach Park.
A volunteer shows a bucket full of litter found at Windward Beach Park. (Photo courtesy Vin Palmieri)
“Many local non-profits, businesses, and schools contributed to this year’s efforts,” Vin Palmieri, Brick Township Environmental Commission Secretary, said. “This year, it seemed even more noticeable that we are reaching different audiences and finding volunteers from various backgrounds. With the weather being 75 degrees and sunny (and very little overcast) it was a great day for volunteers to spend additional time patiently collecting microplastics.”
Palmieri noted how they continue to find a high number of e-cigarette devices. Volunteers also came across the common culprits which include: cigarette butts, bottle caps, balloons, and aluminum tabs.
“We found that many volunteers brought their own buckets, instead of using plastic bags (which inevitably adds to waste totals). Clean Ocean Action is encouraging the use of buckets to limit the amount of plastic used during Beach Sweeps across the Jersey Shore. Luckily, the Township of Brick has been using buckets for nearly five years,” Palmieri said. “Buckets are always utilized during the Township’s ‘Pick Up Brick’ cleanups. The next Pick-Up Brick takes place on November 16 at Sawmill Tract. We will meet at Herbertsville Park at 10 a.m., all volunteers are welcome!”
This year, COA broke its record number of sites from the spring, hosting cleanups at 83 sites. In addition, 41 Junior Beach Captains were spread-out statewide assisting volunteer Beach Captains.
“This year was absolutely amazing. The weather definitely makes or breaks on event. We had the most gorgeous, day and people’s energy and spirts was a whole other ball game,” said Kira Cruz, Debris-Free Sea Coordinator at COA. “Thousands of people came out statewide.”
In 2023, Beach Sweepers removed 2,226 plastic forks, knives, and spoons. They are urging towns to pass a “Skip the Stuff” ordinance. This initiative will prohibit plasticware to be given during dine-in, delivery, and take-out unless specifically requested.
Volunteers on the Seaside Heights boardwalk gather to collect litter. (Photo courtesy Clean Ocean Action)
“Plastic bottle caps and lids have been on the rise. It was the number one found item overall in 2023,” Cruz said.
Cruz noted how the organization has seen a significant decrease in plastic bags being litter since the state banned single-use plastic bags.
“It has been a significant decrease and then seeing our data since the law went into effect, plastic bags have decreased entirely,” Cruz said.
Next year, Clean Ocean Action will be celebrating their 40th anniversary of Beach Sweeps.
“Next year we’re hoping to celebrate really big and really hoping to get different things in the works to get banned within our state to keep improve and reducing plastics,” Cruz said.
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