Over 65 coastal and waterfront sites, from Cape May to Middlesex Counties, will be cleaned by teams of volunteers during the annual Fall Beach Sweeps effort this Saturday, October 19.

From press materials furnished by Clean Ocean Action

More than 65 sites — including several in Red Bank, Sea Bright, and neighboring communities — will be descended upon by teams of volunteers this Saturday, October 19, as Clean Ocean Action (COA) invites citizens and organizations to participate in the 28th Annual Fall Beach Sweeps.

“Clean Ocean Action is excited to continue to integrate Beach Sweeps into the Waves of Action program, a year-long initiative to recover and restore the NY/NJ coastline after the devastation of Sandy,” commented Catie Tobin, Clean Ocean Action Ocean Advocacy and Education Fellow.

The Beach Sweeps is much more than picking up trash, it’s about collecting data to help reduce sources of pollution.  Volunteers are instructed to record the quantity and types of debris found. The information collected at the Sweeps is analyzed and published into annual reports.  These reports help identify pollution problems, aid legislators in enacting laws to protect our marine environment, and inform local, state and international efforts to combat marine pollution. COA will release the 2013 Annual Beach Sweep report mid-April, just in time for the spring Beach Sweeps. All reports are available online at the COA website.

COA encourages participation from volunteers of all ages individually or from businesses, families, and organizations. Volunteers are requested to pre-register by clicking here for an online sign-up form, as well as a complete list of sites. Volunteers should wear gloves, dress for the weather, apply sunscreen, and wear closed-toed, hard-soled shoes.

“Through Beach Sweeps, our teams of volunteers have assisted in cleaning-up trash and debris on New Jersey beaches, lakes, rivers and streams,” said Bob Doherty, New Jersey president of Bank of America, one of the Fall effort’s corporate sponsors. “Clean Ocean Action offers people a chance to improve their environment and be part of a global effort to drive positive change.”