Volunteers and their findings at the Stadium of Peace and Friendship off Piraeus
The 2012 International Coastal Clean-up Campaign, which is being coordinated in Greece by HELMEPA for the 21st consecutive year, kicked-off with great enthusiasm.
According to the influx of information so far, at least 18 coastal and underwater clean-ups took place last weekend in Volos, Vrachati Corinth, Karystos, Kato Achaia, Kefalonia, Keratea Attica, Lesvos, Limnos, Lake Volvi, Menemeni Thessaloniki, Pineios River, Rafina, Rethimno, Scaramanga-Eleusina and Schinia in Attica. Among the participants were schools, municipalities, the Coast Guard, private companies and tourism enterprises, diving and sailing clubs, local associations and numerous volunteers.
On Saturday 15 September, HELMEPA coordinated a beach clean-up along the coast adjacent to the Peace and Friendship Stadium in Athens, with the support of the Hellenic Recovery – Recycling Corporation (HE.R.R.Co.) and KISS FM as a communication sponsor, and with the participation of the member-company GASLOG LNG SERVICES LTD, HELMEPA Cadets and other volunteers. On the same day, staff of member company OSG SHIP MANAGEMENT (GR) LTD together with HELMEPA cleared Megalo Kavouri Beach in Vouliagmeni of its trash.
120 large-sized bags of trash of all kinds were collected in these two clean-ups, while a total of 220kg of recyclable material made its way from the clean-up locations in Athens and Thessaloniki to the recycling plants of HE.R.R.Co.
We congratulate the volunteers of all ages who were not disheartened by the unstable weather conditions that prevailed in many parts of the country and devoted their weekend mornings to a common purpose: to prove that we can all contribute to maintaining our seas and coasts clean from litter, and so improve our quality of life.
Collective figures from the data recorded during the collection of trash in Greek seas and along Greek coasts will be published by HELMEPA in November, as voluntary activities will continue until mid-October, including scheduled clean-ups in Agiokampos Larissa, Amaliada, Aspropyrgos, Varkiza, Lake Vryton, Milos, Porto Heli , Rhodes, Rhodope, Samos, the Moustos-Parnonas wetland and Chania.
Those interested in organizing their own coastal or underwater clean-up, with the support of HELMEPA, may return the completed Form either to email environment@helmepa.gr or to fax 210-9407327. For further information, contact HELMEPA’s Environmental Awareness Sector on 210-9343088.
