COA’s 2020 Beach Sweeps Report Released

LONG BRANCH – Clean Ocean Action (COA) released the 2020 Beach Sweeps Report April 7, documenting the results of nearly 4,000 socially distanced volunteers who removed over 185,000 items at 60 locations in three hours during last year’s fall Beach Sweeps. 
According to a release, due to the Covid pandemic, the Spring Beach Sweeps was canceled and replaced with a virtual celebration of 35 Years of Beach Sweeps The fall event was held but added new challenges to ensure activities complied with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and New Jersey Department of Health (NJDOH) guidelines. 
The Beach Sweeps, usually held every April and October, is New Jersey’s largest volunteer-driven, citizen science and environmental event, with 60 site locations in fall 2020. The site locations are from Perth Amboy to Cape May, with additional sites along the Delaware River and in northern New Jersey. 
Over the years, 147,860 volunteers have contributed 864,688 volunteer hours to remove and record debris from NJ’s beaches and waterways.
“Over the decades, proof of our wasteful ways flowed with the times onto our beaches – from medical waste to cassette tapes to cell phones to vaping caps. Fortunately, there is one true blue contestant, the dedication of people who love the Jersey Shore and the ocean. Together, they represent COA’s Beach Sweep family – supporters, beach captains, volunteers (small and the tall) – who all help to remove litter and provide the evidence needed to reduce pollution,” stated Cindy Zipf, executive director, Clean Ocean Action.
“Why do we have to be the dirty animals on the planet?” stated State Sen. Bob Smith (D-17th), chairman of the Environment and Energy Committee. “My thanks to everyone for the Beach Sweeps,and I long for the day that we don’t need to do beach clean-ups,” he added.
Data: Legacy of Action to Reduce Marine Debris
The data collected by Beach Sweeps volunteers provide hard evidence about the scope and magnitude of the marine debris problem, which people can use to convince elected officials to pass and enforce laws and policies to reduce the sources. 
With over 100 specific items tallied and the Roster of the Ridiculous, each Beach Sweeps provides a snapshot of what is found on nearly every beach from Perth Amboy to Cape May, and beyond. Over the years, this data suggests trends. 
Since 1984, one trend is unequivocal: single-use plastic items are on the rise. This trend is reflected in the new 2021 data card, which includes more plastic items than ever (48). Click here to view and download the new data card.
“COA’s Beach Sweeps data card acts as a time capsule for litter found on our beaches. The 2021 update to the data card represents the unsettling reality that people continue to invent new ways to waste and pollute,” stated Alison Jones, Watershed program coordinator, Clean Ocean Action. “Now, the majority of items on the data card are plastic, including many of our newly added debris items, the ‘Ocean Offenders:’ e-cigarette cartridges/caps/pens, cotton swab sticks, dental floss picks, disposable wipes, face masks, and disposable gloves.”
Beach Sweeps data has resulted in state and federal laws and local town ordinances. Often, it is local town efforts led by grassroots citizen action that build pressure for statewide laws.
“The data collected by the thousands of dedicated volunteers up and down the coast is one part of the amazing story of the Beach Sweeps. When the data is put to work in the form of advocacy for better policies and laws to reduce pollution sources, it makes the Beach Sweeps a legacy of action that benefits communities, wildlife, the economy, and the environment,” stated Kari Martin, Advocacy campaign manager, Clean Ocean Action. “The data has turned hours of hard work removing litter from our shorelines into meaningful and impactful state and federal laws, as well as municipal ordinances. That is a sweeping success.”  
Ocean Wavemakers
The success of the Beach Sweeps is possible thanks to the dedication and support of all the wonderful volunteers – from the small to the tall – who enjoy giving back to the ocean, which gives them so much joy. Together, a difference can be made for a cleaner ocean to be enjoyed by generations to come simply by picking up litter whenever and wherever we see it.
COA’s volunteer beach captains direct the masses of volunteers at each site. These captains lead the cleanup effort and are an indispensable part of which Clean Ocean Action owes the overall success of the program. Thanks to the commitment of the Beach Captain volunteers, the program continues to grow its impact each year, expanding to more beaches, inspiring and educating new volunteers, and removing continuously greater amounts of debris from the marine environment.
“Since our first time as beach captains a few years ago, we’ve learned about how much waste ends up on our beaches and waterways, and how much that waste can end up in food sources and effect our lives. We volunteer, as captains, because we want to make sure that where we live and play is better for the ones that are coming after us, so that they can cherish what we have left for generations to come,” stated Sanura, James, and Lincoln McKairnes, volunteer beach captains.
“Protecting our natural resources and open spaces is important to both of us. As residents of a popular beach town, we see the effect that large crowds can have on our stretch of beach and ocean. Our involvement in Clean Ocean Action Beach Sweeps has evolved over the past few years, from participating as volunteers at the site in Avon-By-The-Sea, to serving as captains for our town’s Beach Sweeps location,” stated Avon-by-the-Sea Beach captains Troy and Angela Romanowski. 
“We have seen the event grow in our community, and it is great to see people of all ages come out to clean up the beach in the town where they live or the beach that they visit in the summer. We have had about 100 people participate at our site in the spring and fall, in each of the past few years. People are always surprised that, even on a seemingly clean, well-maintained beach, there is still a lot of trash and recyclables that need to be picked up, and our volunteers have expressed interest in more frequent activities of this kind. New Jersey’s beaches are great but need some regular TLC.”
For over 35 years, Clean Ocean Action has organized grassroots volunteer Beach Sweeps across the state. These dedicated organizations have provided vital funding so that COA can execute and expand the Sweeps. COA also recognizes and thanked the companies who have supported the event over the years. Clean Ocean Action is grateful for the support of the sponsors and is inspired by all that they do to support our communities.
“Clean Ocean Action’s dedication to research, education, and action makes them a valuable partner to work with as we strive to make a positive impact in the communities where our Comcast employees live and work. We’re proud to support COA’s annual Beach Sweeps efforts and share their commitment to environmental responsibility,” stated Kimberly Smith, Comcast, Director of Community Impact.
“We’re so excited to expand our Superbeach Cleanup efforts to New Jersey and work with Clean Ocean Action. Willie’s was born on the beach, so it’s our responsibility to protect them and build a cleaner, more sustainable world,” stated Nico Enriquez, chief executive officer, Willie’s Superbrew Hard Seltzer.
Call for Spring 2021 Beach Sweeps Volunteers
Clean Ocean Action is calling for volunteers to flock to the beaches April 17, from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., to give the beaches a good clean sweep before the summer, just as many marine species return to the shore. Over 60 locations along the coast are found on the locations page. 
Volunteers are asked to bring their own bucket, and wear reusable work gloves and closed-toe, hard-soled shoes. Interested volunteers should pre-register at www.CleanOceanAction.org.
Covid safety protocols will be implemented at the Beach Sweeps, including the wearing of masks and social distancing.