Press Releases

Thursday, April 24, 2008

New Jersey Beaches Awash in Litter

For Immediate Release: April 24, 2008

Contact: Kari Martin, Anna Will, Cindy Zipf, 732-872-0111

2007 Data Reveals Record Breaking Results
Volunteers Needed at COA Spring Beach Sweeps – Saturday, April 26

Sandy Hook, NJ – Today, Clean Ocean Action released data from the 2007 Beach Sweeps that reveals that volunteers removed a record number of pieces of debris per person, and one of the highest recorded number of total items collected.  On average, each of the 4,870 volunteers removed 63 pieces of debris from New Jersey’s beaches, with items totaling 304,342.  Cigarette filters also resurged to the top of the list of items collected from beaches after being bumped by plastic bottle caps and lids in 2006.  Over 15,000 more cigarette filters were collected in 2007.

“Year after year, the data from our cleanups provide clear evidence that we are failing to control litter and to protect our waters from waste.  The cure is simple: we must enforce existing litter laws and renew programs,” said Cindy Zipf, COA’s Executive Director.

“Unfortunately, when it rains, our waterways are the ultimate sinks for the thousands of cigarette butts, food bags, plastic bottles, and other garbage littered by people everyday in this region,” said Anna Will, COA Pollution Prevention Coordinator.  “With every rainfall, our roads, parking lots, and lawns are washed off, bringing everything on those surfaces into storm drains.  These storm drains bring rainwater – mostly untreated – to our rivers, streams, bays, and the ocean.” 

During the 2007 Beach Sweeps (Spring and Fall events combined) show that 4,870 volunteers (2,606 in Spring; 2,264 in Fall) picked-up 304,342 items at 107 sites in New Jersey. 

2007 Data: The Top Offenders
In 2007, cigarette filters topped the list of collected items, totaling 38,019 (15,000 more than 2006).  Recent bans on indoor smoking in New York and New Jersey may have contributed to this increase.  As smokers get sent outside, cigarette butts are often tossed to the sidewalk or street, and washed into waterways and the ocean with rain.  COA also attributes litter to general lack of public awareness of the impacts of litter on the environment and how individuals’ actions contribute to ocean pollution. 

New Jersey’s Dirty Dozen List, which is an annual list of the top 12 items most frequently collected and recorded at COA’s Beach Sweeps, includes 11 plastic items.  In 2007, paper pieces also crept back into the dirty dozen.

The NJ Dirty Dozen for 2007 Spring & Fall COA Beach Sweeps
 
1. Cigarette Filters - 38,019
2. Plastic Caps & Lids - 33,724
3. Plastic Food, Candy Wrappers/Bags - 30,221
4. Plastic Pieces - 23,159
5. Plastic Straws/Stirrers - 21,787
6. Foam Plastic Pieces - 16,016
7. Plastic Beverage/Soda Bottles - 12,316
8. Plastic Cigar Tips - 6,786
9. Plastic Forks, Knives, Spoons - 5,902
10. Other Plastics - 5,507
11. Paper Pieces - 5,378
12. Plastic Cap Rings - 5,283

“Plastics persist in the marine environment and cause harm to wildlife through entanglement and ingestion.  Animals mistake garbage, especially plastics, for food with lethal results,” added Will.

The 2007 Roster of the Ridiculous, which lists the most unusual items found during the Sweeps, include: 3 toilet seats, 3 cell phones, a cell phone charger, a shopping cart, a pregnancy test, 3 bags of pet waste, a suitcase, 2 pairs of scissors, a tennis racquet, a paint roller, a paint can, 2 pairs of glasses, car keys, police caution tape, a baby car seat, a car bumper, hair curlers, a television set, a microwave oven, 3 bouquets of fake flowers, 2 pairs of underwear, a doll head, an 8-track tape, a bobble head doll, an ice cube tray, and half of a Barbie Doll.

All Hands On Deck for Spring Beach Sweeps
Organizations and citizens are gearing-up for the 23rd Annual Spring Beach Sweeps on Saturday, April 26, 2008, at over 60 sites along the Jersey Shore, from Glen Ridge to Cape May.  The Sweeps begin at 9am and end at 12:30pm, rain or shine.  COA encourages participation from volunteers of all ages, as well as individuals, families, and groups.  Pre-registration is not required.  Volunteers should bring gloves, dress for the weather, apply sunscreen, and wear closed-toed, hard-soled shoes.  Beach Captains will greet and instruct volunteers at each site and distribute cleanup materials.  For a list of sites, click “Beach Sweeps."

The 2008 Spring Beach Sweeps are made possible by support from many generous sponsors.  The Statewide Sponsors include Verizon and Wakefern Foods Corporation, which includes ShopRite stores.  United Teletech Financial is sponsoring sites in Monmouth County, and Atlantic City Electric is sponsoring the Atlantic City, Brigantine, Cape May, and Sea Isle City sites.  Individual site sponsors include: Lower Cape May Regional Education Association for Cape May; Adventure Aquarium for Ventnor; Surfrider Foundation – Jersey Shore Chapter, in memory of Daniel Clune for Point Pleasant Beach at Jenkinson’s Aquarium; Claremont Care Center for Point Pleasant; Enterprise Rent-A-Car for Sea Bright; Panasonic for Sandy Hook; and Keyport Business Alliance for Keyport.  LaraBar is the snack sponsor.

About the Beach Sweeps
Clean Ocean Action’s Beach Sweeps is the largest grassroots environmental event in the state and the longest running volunteer cleanup in the United States.  Since it began in 1985, over 70,000 volunteers have removed and cataloged over three million pounds of debris from the Jersey Shore.  Beach Sweeps participants complete datacards, which are reviewed, compiled, and analyzed by COA.  The information collected at the Sweeps helps identify pollution problems, aid legislators in enacting laws to protect our marine environment, and inform local and international efforts to combat marine pollution.  The Fall Beach Sweeps are also a part of the Ocean Conservancy’s International Coastal Cleanup (ICC), and the data collected is included in the ICC Annual Report and used to combat marine debris worldwide. 

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Clean Ocean Action (COA) is a coalition of 125 boating, business, community, conservation, diving, environmental, fishing, religious, service, student, surfing, and women’s.  Based in Sandy Hook, COA is the only full time regional coalition that works exclusively for a clean ocean off the coasts of New Jersey and New York.  COA identifies the sources of pollution and mounts an attack on each source by using research, education, and citizen action to convince our officials to enact and enforce measures which will clean up and protect our ocean.  COA is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.