COASTSWEEP CONTINUES!

September 20, 1999
Contact: Anne Donovan
(617) 626-1213

Summer may be coming to a close, but outings to the beach are not over! For the 12th straight year, COASTSWEEP are cleaning up trash and other marine debris left on Massachusetts beaches. Over 5,000 volunteers are expected to turn out to remove hundreds of thousands of pieces of debris along almost 250 miles of coastline.

COASTSWEEP cleanups, which are coordinated by Massachusetts Coastal Zone Management (MCZM) and organized by local volunteers, will be held at almost 100 locations throughout the state. The kickoff cleanup was held on Saturday, September 18, in Hull at Nantasket Beach and hundreds of people attended. Other cleanups are held throughout September and October.

"We are grateful to the thousands of volunteers who participate in the COASTSWEEP effort each year," said Governor Paul Cellucci. "Their hard work and dedication helps us provide safe beaches and clean water for the families of the Commonwealth, improving their quality of life and ensuring that our coasts remain popular recreation spots for everyone."

"Cleaning up our beaches is not only good for people, it is also vitally important for the protection of coastal ecosystems," said Bob Durand, Environmental Affairs Secretary. "Animals can be killed or injured when they become entangled in pieces of marine debris, such as fishing line and six-pack holders, or when they swallow plastic bags, balloons, and other items that they mistake for food. COASTSWEEP volunteers make our coastal waters both safer for wildlife and more beautiful for people to enjoy."

To find your local COASTSWEEP cleanup, visit the MCZM website at www.mass.gov/MCZM/. For more information, please call the MCZM COASTSWEEP line at (617) 626-1223. Note: The complete list of cleanups is attached.

"COASTSWEEP attracts thousands of volunteers every year, taking time out of their busy schedules to do their part, and it really makes a difference. Year after year, local cleanup coordinators report that the beaches are cleaner than ever," said Tom Skinner, MCZM Director. "Cleanups in secluded areas and high-traffic areas, such as Rumney Marsh, have also helped us identify locations in need of more state support and awareness - ensuring that we an reduce the problem in the future."

"Keeping our beaches, coastline, and harbor clean and inviting is both an economic necessity and a public priority," said Dan Salera, Director of Corporate Sponsorships and Community Service at BankBoston, a major COASTSWEEP sponsor. "All of us need to realize that it is a privilege to live in an area where resources are so accessible to residents and visitors, and that we all bear some responsibility for keeping the marine environment clean. We are pleased to provide volunteer support to COASTSWEEP '99 through our Eagle Corps employee volunteer program as well as sponsorship support."

In addition to removing trash and marine debris from the beaches, volunteers record what they collect. The data are then sent to the Center for Marine Conservation (CMC) in Washington, D.C. and entered into a massive database. This information is used to identify sources of marine debris to help prevent problems in the future. COASTSWEEP is also part of an International Beach Cleanup Program sponsored by CMC in which 34 U.S. states and territories and more than 30 nations participate worldwide.

A list called the "Dirty Dozen" is compiled from the data collected each year. Along Massachusetts beaches, last year's Dirty Dozen included: cigarette butts, plastic food bags and wrappers, plastic pieces, foamed plastic pieces, glass pieces, caps and lids, paper pieces, plastic rope, straws, plastic beverage bottles, glass beverage bottles, and metal beverage cans.

COASTSWEEP relies on volunteers and sponsors for its success. Each cleanup is organized by a dedicated local coordinator who spends hours gathering supplies, publicizing the event, seeking local sponsors, and making sure that the cleanup runs smoothly. In addition, supplies for the cleanup are donated by state and national sponsors. MCZM provides COASTSWEEP posters, flyers, and buttons for all of the cleanups, with financial support from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. For the third year, BankBoston is a major sponsor, providing 2,000 t-shirts for cleanups of Boston-area beaches and posters to advertise COASTSWEEP on the T, while the MBTA donated the 200 spaces for COASTSWEEP posters on the T. BankBoston employees will also help with cleanups throughout the state.

Brita Water Filtration Systems is once again a sponsor of the International Coastal Cleanup Day, providing all volunteers a coupon for a free Brita pitcher and water filter. Quest Diagnostics, Microflex, and Tronex Healthcare Industries provided several thousand gloves for COASTSWEEP volunteers this year. The Massachusetts Department of Environmental Management and the Metropolitan District Committee also help coordinate cleanups at their beaches, with overall support from the Executive Office of Environmental Affairs. CMC provides data cards and other supplies for volunteers to collect data on the type of debris found.

New sponsors for this year include Cape Cod Chips, who have donated chips for participants and Brigham's Ice Cream, who have offered coupons. Our longtime sponsors, the New England Aquarium and the Museum of Fine Arts-Boston, will once again graciously provide passes to be raffled as prizes at each cleanup.

COASTSWEEP kicks off the Coastweeks celebration, which is organized in Massachusetts by The Urban Harbors Institute of the University of Massachusetts/Boston. Coastweeks is a three-week long international celebration to heighten awareness about the importance of protecting coastal resources. Activities include nature walks, lectures, whale watches, and of course, COASTSWEEP cleanups, which are publicized in the Coastweeks calendar. For more information, call (617) 287-5568.