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On the eve of the twenty-first
anniversary of International Coastal Clean (ICC)-Up Day, local
officials, who will also observe Jamaica’s eleventh year of
participation in the global environmental event, are making a special
call. “All are encouraged to participate.” This is the word coming out
of the National Environment and Planning Agency (NEPA).
According to Ainsley Henry,
Acting Manager of the Integrated Watersheds and Coastal Zone
Management Branch (IWCZMB), at the environment agency, “this year’s
activities are just as important, as other years.” Mr. Henry said
that, “participation in ICC activities affords Jamaica the unique
opportunity to assess the extent to which pollution from land-based
activities such as improper garbage disposal, picnics, festivals and
other sporting activities pollute its marine resources.” Mr. Henry
made his remarks as part of NEPA’s official roll-out of activities to
mark the day.
This year, NEPA returns to the
Half Moon Bay Beach, at Hellshire in St. Catherine and along the banks
of the Rio Grande River in Portland. Transportation, lunch, T-shirts
and cleaning tools will be provided for volunteers. The clean-up
starts at 8:00a.m. and will run until 2:00p.m. NEPA, however, reminds
volunteers to take along their own water and sun block and hats to
guard against long term exposure to ultraviolet rays from the sun.
Arrangements have also been made
with Protect the Environment Trust (PET), to collect plastics and tins
for recycling. The two year-old environmental action group which has a
special focus on the removing plastic containers from the environment
is located at 24 Haining Road in Kingston and may be contacted at:
926-0411.
Elsewhere, the Negril Coral Reef
Preservation Society (NCRPS) will clean up a number of beaches and
rivers including Green Island Fishing Beach, Orange Bay Fishing Beach,
Orange Bay River, Little Bloody Bay, Bloody Bay, Negril Fishing Beach
and two beaches in West End. Underwater clean-ups are also scheduled
for Rick’s Café, Samsara, Rockhouse and Sunshine Village. Negril All
Age, Mount Airy All Age, Whitehall Preparatory and Sheffield All Age
will represent schools from the area in the various clean-up
activities tomorrow. They will vie for the “Green Team” trophy awarded
to the school that does the best clean-up of its designated beach.
Last year, an estimated 1,477
volunteers, including Minister of Local Government and Environment
Dean Peart, covered 72 miles and collected 7,044 pounds of debris from
Jamaica’s beaches and waterways. 25,410 debris items were collected,
88% of which originated from land-based activities. This compares
poorly with the worldwide average of 58%. Jamaica’s average of 3% for
pollution from offshore and other waterway related activities compares
favourably, however, with an average of 8% of debris collected
worldwide.
Food related items accounted for
nearly half of all debris found in Jamaica. Cups, plates and utensils
were the number one items in Jamaica and accounted for nearly 15% of
the total debris collected during last year’s ICC activities.
In 2005, nearly half a million
volunteers removed 8.2 million pounds of debris from 18,000 miles of
coastline, spanning 74 different countries.
ICC is celebrated every year on
the third Saturday in September. Initiated by the Centre for Marine
Sciences in Washington D.C., the event has grown from a local beach
clean-up in Texas to the largest event of its kind. Thousands of
people descend on beaches, lakes and streams all over the world to
remove trash and debris both on land and under water, annually.
NEPA encourages members of the
public to get involved in scheduled ICC activities, tomorrow. They may
also clean beaches and waterways in their areas, as part of the effort
to protect Jamaica’s land, wood and water.
Persons wishing to participate in
this year’s ICC’s activities are invited to contact, at NEPA at:
754-7540 for more information, or the National Environment Society’s
Trust (NEST) at: 969-7987. NEST is the country coordinator for ICC
activities in Jamaica.
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