More than 16,000 Pounds of Trash Collected from Rhode Island Shores during International Coastal Cleanup in September

PROVIDENCE, RI – On September 20, 2014 in Rhode Island, 2,101 volunteers statewide participated in the 29th year of Ocean Conservancy’s International Coastal Cleanup (ICC), the largest global volunteer effort on behalf of the ocean. Save The Bay® – Narragansett Bay is proud to have served as the new coordinator for the International Cleanup in Rhode Island, continuing the tradition and success of the previous coordinator, The Audubon Society of Rhode Island.

With the talents and support of many individuals, other non-profit organizations, and private companies who helped with the purchase of materials, mobilized teams on the ground, and took on leadership roles as beach captains, Save The Bay organized 80 beach cleanups in 18 towns along 59 miles of Rhode Island shoreline. The 2,101 volunteers collected trash and debris and recorded their findings on tabulation sheets that will become part of Ocean Conservancy’s global report in spring 2015. In the meantime, the Rhode Island numbers are in, and Save The Bay is now releasing its 2014 International Coastal Cleanup Rhode Island Report.

“The data helps us understand and communicate the nature and scope of the problem within our own communities, and tells us where the trash is coming from, so we can focus our preventive efforts in those areas,” said Save The Bay Volunteer and Internship Manager July Lewis. “This year, we can see that almost all of the litter comes from such shoreline activities as eating, drinking and smoking,” Lewis said.

This year, in the Rhode Island International Coastal Cleanup:
• 2,101 volunteers participated in an ICC cleanup, nearly double last year’s volunteer pool
• 16,368 pounds of trash were collected and removed from the shorelines, up from 11,921 pounds in 2013
• 59 miles of shoreline were covered, from Block Island to Providence, and even inland on the shores of the Pawtuxet River in Hope, R.I.
• 157,579 total items were collected and documented
• 75 items per volunteer, on average, were collected

The 41,803 cigarette butts, which are not biodegradable, made up 33 percent of the total trash items collected along Rhode Island’s coastlines. Among the other top ten items found were 11,032 food wrappers, 8,923 plastic bottle caps, 6,687 plastic beverage bottles, 6,080 yards of fishing line, 5,337 straws, 4,481 beverage cans, 4,299 plastic bags, 3,688 glass bottles, and 3,128 metal bottle caps. A new feature of the International Coastal Cleanup data card this year was “tiny trash,” representing bits of plastic, glass or foam smaller than 2.5 cm in diameter. Rhode Island volunteers removed 32,301 bits of tiny trash from beaches this year.

“It is discouraging that beach trash remains an ugly and persistent problem. It fouls our shoreline and threatens birds and marine life. The good news is that we can prevent this kind of pollution. Public education and personal responsibility are key,” said Save The Bay Executive Director Jonathan Stone. “The 2,101 individuals who participated in this year’s Rhode Island cleanup understand this. We thank them, and look forward to future progress in eliminating beach trash,” he said.

Major sponsors of the 2014 Rhode Island International Coastal Clean include: REI, Walmart, The Washington Trust Company, Hemenway’s Seafood Grill and Oyster Bar, DuPont, Dominion, Stop & Shop, Denali Wakefield, New England Med Waste Services, Concordia Manufacturing, Liberty Mutual Insurance, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Rhode Island, Packaging 2.0, MetLife, Roy Carpenter’s Beach Matunuck Beach Properties, Inc., and WPRI. Major sponsors not only supported the International Coastal Cleanup financially, but many brought teams to participate in a cleanup in their own neighborhoods. Howes Lubricator, Fuss & O’Neill, Paul Masse Chevrolet South, Jamestown Fitness Center, Bridge Restaurant & Raw Bar, Davitt Design Build Inc., Professional Security Services, Inc., Gregory’s Optical, T’s Restaurant, North Sails, George’s of Galilee, Green Home Solutions of Newport, Fay Law Associates, Coldmasters Temperature Control Inc., Quito’s Restaurant and Bar, CVS Health, Magid Glove and Safety Manufacturing Company and GTECH also sponsored the event.

Always held on the third Saturday in September, the 2015 International Coastal Cleanup is scheduled for Saturday, September 19, 2015. For more information on participating as a volunteer or sponsor, contact Save The Bay at savebay@savebay.org.

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