Tasman Bay beach clean clears 7.5 tonnes of rubbish

A big community effort has cleared 7.5 tonnes of rubbish from Tasman Bay beaches.

Around 540 people took part in the in the Tasman Bay Big Beach Clean-up held on Saturday 19 November for the second year. They collected rubbish from 295 kilometres of coast from Abel Tasman National Park to Cable Bay.

Department of Conservation Community Relations Programme Manager Rudy Tetteroo expressed a big thank you to the beach-cleaning volunteers on behalf of event organisers DOC, Tasman District Council, Nelson City Council and NELMAC Ltd.

"We have had a fantastic response from the community again this year in enthusiastically getting involved in this spring coastal clean-up. It's great to see so many people caring for our beautiful beaches.

"Beach-cleaning volunteers found less rubbish than last year, when 10.4 tonnes was collected, but still found plenty of litter on coast alongside main roads. This serves as reminder not to throw rubbish from vehicles.

"Cleaner beaches will make them more enjoyable for the thousands of locals and holidaymakers who will be making the most of sand, sea and sun this summer.

"It also helps to make our coasts safer for wildlife for which our litter can be lethal."

Rubbish removed included plastic, bottles, bits of glass, old tyres, plastic bale wrap and even an old catamaran.

Rudy encouraged an ongoing effort from everyone to keep our shores and sea litter-free.

"Anything taken to the beach or out on the sea should be taken away again and rubbish carefully and appropriately disposed of."

DOC thanks Motueka New World for its support to the event. Thanks also go to NELMAC Ltd for their help with traffic management plans for coastal sections by state highways for the safety of beach clean volunteers.

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