Mayo and Sligo volunteers support Clean Coast initiative

Clean Coasts received overwhelming support and commitment from volunteers and communities across Ireland for the Big Beach Clean weekend that took place between September 20th and 22nd.

This year, a record number of over 600 clean-ups were organised by volunteers who removed over 95 tonnes of litter nationwide, making this Clean Coasts’ largest clean-up event yet. 

In Co Mayo, over 25 groups and more than 450 volunteers removed an estimated 2.7 tonnes of marine litter with clean-ups taking place in various locations.  This included a group of 10 volunteers from Wild Atlantic Yoga and Ross Sea Swimmers who came together to clean the back beach of Ross, near Killala. The group removed over 40kg of waste, which included plastic bottles, nappies, and fishing-related waste that had been accumulating in an area adjoining the beach.

Over 20 volunteers - young and old - from Mulranny Environmental Group and the 12th Mayo Mulranny Scouts joined up to complete a clean-up of Mulranny Beach on Saturday, September 21st, when they collected approximately 84kg of litter.

In Co Sligo, 15 groups and over 200 volunteers removed an estimated 1.4 tonnes of marine litter, including Lissadell Coast Care Group who had 15 volunteers out in force, collecting around 70kg of waste from Lissadell main beach on Sunday, September 22nd. Among the litter picked, cigarettes butts and fishing lines and netting were the most common.

Almost 50 volunteers of all ages from Spanish Armada Ireland conducted a Big Beach Clean on Streedagh Beach on the same day. This clean-up was completed as part of an information session on Climate Change, with presentations from many groups including ATU Sligo, and Sligo County Council.

Clean Coasts joined forces with Kia Ireland who supported the initiative this year by providing clean-ups kits and supplies to our volunteers throughout the country.  The Big Beach Clean is an annual call to action that runs as part of the International Coastal Cleanup (ICC), operated internationally by Ocean Conservancy and invites communities and volunteers around the country to remove litter from around the Irish coast after the end of the bathing season.   

Each year this initiative is also an opportunity for Big Beach Clean volunteers to get involved in a worldwide citizen science project, which entails collecting the amount and types of litter on Irish beaches and filling in Clean Coasts’ Marine Litter Data Cards to share with Ocean Conservancy, help heighten awareness about the issue of marine litter serving as an indicator of the magnitude of the problem and help shape future policies and campaigns. In 2023, the top three items recorded during the Big Beach Clean weekend were plastic caps and bottles, cigarette butts and food wrappers.

Data from the International Coastal Cleanup has led to policies banning single-use plastics like bags, straws, and utensils, and has influenced global efforts to reduce ocean pollution. It has contributed to international agreements, national waste management reforms, and extended producer responsibility programs. These findings also support initiatives like littering fines, improved recycling, and the promotion of a circular economy. Additionally, the data helps raise public awareness and drive educational programs on sustainable practices to protect marine ecosystems.