EU Beach Clean Up

27.09.2019

There is now 85 pounds less garbage polluting the beaches of Barbados thanks to the efforts of the EU Delegation in Barbados.

 

For the first year, the Delegation of the European Union in Barbados joined the EU's global campaign in participating in the annual global beach clean-up exercise.  On 20 September, staff at the Delegation, accompanied by Director General for International Cooperation and Development, Stefano Manservisi and Barbados' Minister for Maritime Affairs and the Blue Economy, Kirk Humphrey, participated in a beach Clean-up along the popular Richard Haynes Boardwalk on the south coast of Barbados. The exercise formed part of the annual observance of International Coastal Clean-up Day and is aimed at not only contributing to research on beach pollution, but also raising awareness of the impact of such pollution of the social, physical, and economic environment.

 

The Delegation was particularly pleased to partner with the local branch of the Caribbean Youth Environment Network (CYEN), a youth-driven community service organisation.  CYEN members were the team captains for the exercise and assisted Delegation colleagues with the categorisation and tabulation of the different types of waste. 

 

At the end of the clean-up exercise, 85 pounds of garbage was collected.  This include a range of plastic and glass bottles, paper, metal cans, stoppers, wood, and some bulkier items.  Most troubling was the number of containers made of alternative materials that were discarded on the beach.  Considering the recent national ban on plastics, the exercise however provided an opportunity for the CYEN to raise the matter with Minister Humphrey with the view on presenting workable solutions for the future.

 

Beyond the cleanup, the Delegation is continuing to work with the CYEN to promote environmental sensitisation efforts in secondary schools to support improved environmental citizenship and positive climate action.  It is hoped that through such efforts the will be a reduced volume of waste on the beaches of Barbados.