Tasman Bay beaches get annual spring clean

November 3rd, 2014
[DOC press release]

Tasman Bay beaches are clean and ready for summer after 3.93 tonnes of rubbish was removed on Saturday. This was up slightly on last year's 3.5 tonnes.

Over 350 volunteers spent the morning picking up rubbish from approximately 300 kilometres of coast between Tonga Island and Pepin Island, as part of the Big Beach Clean event. Some teams even went out in kayaks and boats to clean around the small offshore islands.

Rubbish cleared included tyres, rusty drums, netting, polystyrene, old clothing, barbed wire and plenty of plastic and glass. Less common items hauled in were a boat seat and a couple of couches.

The annual event is organised by DOC in partnership with Nelson City Council, Tasman District Council and Nelmac Ltd.

DOC Conservation Partnerships Manager Martin Rodd says a big thank you to the volunteers. "It's been a tremendous community effort once again to spring clean our Tasman Bay coast. Beaches will be more enjoyable for everyone this summer with the rubbish removed. It also makes them safer for wildlife that can get entangled in beach debris.

"The enthusiasm from the community is inspiring, with many groups keen to return to the same site every year. The amount of rubbish collected has decreased since the first Big Beach Clean in 2010, when 10.489 tonnes was collected."

To help keep coastal areas clean, people should take care to dispose of rubbish carefully and appropriately, particularly when out on the water.

DOC thanks Motueka New World for once again sponsoring the event. Thanks also go to Nelmac for their support with collection and disposal of the waste, and the councils for picking up the cost.

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