Clean Up Volunteers Tackle Beaches This Weekend

A coastal clean-up will be held this weekend and next on dozens of beaches and riverbanks along the Connecticut coast. WNPR’s Nancy Cohen reports similar clean ups are planned for beaches all over the world.

For 25 years, the group, Ocean Conservancy, has been holding volunteer clean up days in September and October. They not only take place on the beaches of Long Island Sound, but in 100 countries around the Globe. From Cape Town South Africa to Hong Kong. Volunteers keep a list of the different kinds of trash they collect. Kierran Broatch of Save the Sound who is organizing volunteers in Connecticut, says last year more than 20,000 pounds of trash were picked up in the state

“Our number one litter item that our volunteers collect are unfortunately cigarette butts. And they’re not only an eye sore, but they’re also harmful as they leach chemicals into our waterways. We’re also picking up a lot of plastics and food wrappers, as well."

The clean ups take place in more than 40 locations in Connecticut including Anchor Beach in Milford, Fox Brook in Montville and Goose Island in Norwalk.

For WNPR, I'm Nancy Cohen.