Volunteers Sought For Pasco County Costal Cleanup

NEW PORT RICHEY, FL – Pasco County and Keep Pasco Beautiful are looking for volunteers to help out with this year’s International Coastal Cleanup.

Although the county’s stretch of the Gulf of Mexico will be a major part of the event, the Pasco County international Costal Cleanup will need volunteers across the county on Saturday, Sept. 17 from 8 a.m. to noon.

Volunteers are needed for teams in the following locations:

• Anclote Gulf Park and Strauber Memorial Highway in Holiday
• City of New Port Richey
• Werner-Boyce State Park in Port Richey
• Hudson Beach in Hudson
• Lacoochee
• City of Dade City
• Land O’ Lakes
• Wesley Chapel
• Crystal Springs

The International Coastal Cleanup attracts hundreds of thousands of volunteers from around the world who spend a few hours removing trash and debris from beaches, lakes, rivers and inland areas while keeping track of every piece of trash they find.The Ocean Conservancy uses that information to produce an annual country-by-country, state-by-state index of marine debris.

During the 2015 event, 1,190 volunteers picked up 21.89 tons of trash throughout Pasco County.

“There are so many people in our community that are concerned about the environment,” said Kristen King, coordinator of Keep Pasco Beautiful. “They realize that the plastic bag thrown on the side of the road will eventually make it out to the Gulf, which can be deadly for marine life such as turtles and fish. Our hope is that the cleanup will not only get debris off our streets and waterways, but also educate the public on the dangers of litter and the problems it causes.”

Supplies such as trash bags and water will be provided by event organizers. T-shirts, sponsored by CH2M and Covanta Pasco, will be given away to volunteers while supplies last.

For more information on how to participate in the Pasco County Coastal Cleanup, call (727) 856-7252 or e-mail King at kking@pascocountyfl.net.

Image via Pasco County website