Volunteers set on cleaning up Blackie Spit and Crescent Beach took 150 pounds of litter from the area Sunday, during a Great Canadian Shoreline Cleanup event.
Organized by Friends of Semiahmoo Bay Society, the April 24 cleanup involved 55 volunteers who collectively picked up – in the space of just two hours – 1,145 cigarette butts, 1,300 pieces of Styrofoam, discarded chairs, bracelets, a large, upholstered bench from a derelict boat, and more.
Such trash, FOSBS officials noted in a news release, is an environmental hazard. Fish and birds often mistake the items for food, filling their stomachs but ultimately starving. Entanglement in fishing line and six-pack rings can also eventually kill marine animals.
The Great Canadian Shoreline Cleanup is one of the largest direct-action environmental efforts in Canada, and the third largest cleanup in the world.
Data about the litter collected Sunday will be submitted to the Vancouver Aquarium and added to a national litter database.