Students to clean up beaches

22 February 2007 Media Statement

Students to clean up beaches

School children of all ages from Kaitaia to Invercargill will get sand between their toes during beach clean-ups next month as part of Seaweek 2007.

Sixteen schools which entered a national competition will receive travel grants funded by the Ministry for the Environment, and clean-up packs with material from Keep New Zealand Beautiful and the Sir Peter Blake Trust. Another 16 will receive clean-up packs.

Seaweek is a week long celebration of the sea, and this year’s drive is to raise awareness about marine pollution and the need to protect New Zealand’s marine ecosystems.

The competition was a partnership between the Ministry for the Environment and the New Zealand Association for Environmental Education. The fund helps pay the cost of getting the pupils en masse to the beach.

Ministry for the Environment General Manager Dave Brash was delighted with the interest in the marine environment shown by so many schools – some which are located more than 100km from the coast.

“It is a great chance for young Kiwis from North Cape to Bluff to see the impact of marine pollution first hand, and do their bit to clean it up – but even better, understand what they can do to help prevent it in future”, he said.

Studies estimate 70 per cent of marine pollution originates on land – from either water discharges or litter. Many of New Zealand’s beaches are a sad reflection of the amount of rubbish in the seas around its coasts.

Armed with educational packs, gloves and biodegradable rubbish bags, the schools will remove rubbish, and are encouraged to recycle the waste collected if possible. Data on the refuse found will be sent to the Sir Peter Blake Trust, which will compile the information.

www.seaweek.org.nz

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