Orleans County hosting shore clean-up day

The Orleans County Water Quality Coordinating Committee is preparing for their fourth annual Shoreline Clean-up to be held on September 18. This event coincides with the 19th Annual International Coastal Cleanup which involves 91 counties and over 450,000 volunteers. In New York state last year, more than 10,150 volunteers participated and collected over 334,421 pounds of litter at 351 near shore locations, according to the American Littoral Society. In Orleans County, almost 400 pounds of trash was collected.

The Water Quality Coordinating Committee has chosen several near shore locations throughout the county. Volunteers are broken up into teams, and compete to see which team can collect more garbage. To make efforts more productive, the work will be documented and debris will be recorded on data cards to be analyzed for research and educational purposes. Destinations, gloves, pencils, data cards and garbage bags will be supplied to all volunteers. Lunch will be provided.

Volunteers will meet at the Orleans County Marine Park on Route 98 at 8 a.m. on September 18. Each team will need to provide their own transportation to the chosen locations. Young children must be accompanied by an adult. Volunteers are still being sought.

To participate or for information contact James Kingston of the Orleans County Soil and Water Conservation District at 589-5959.