Annual Barnegat Bay Blitz Kicks Off Friday

BARNEGAT TOWNSHIP, NJ - The annual Barnegat Bay Blitz, a day-long cleanup of the watershed, will kick off at 9 a.m. on Friday morning at the Barnegat Municipal Dock on East Bay Avenue.

Acting state Department of Environmental Protection Commissioner Catherine R. McCabe will be on hand at the event, which involves thousands of volunteers, DEP staff and students.

She will discuss how cleanups contribute to the health of the 660-square-mile watershed that covers 37 municipalities.

Teams will fan out across the watershed to clean up stream banks, docks, trails, wetlands, shorelines, stormwater discharge points, areas around bulkheads, and more.

Team captain contact numbers and other information about the Barnegat Bay Blitz can be found at: www.nj.gov/dep/barnegatbay/bbblitz.htm

The DEP offers a number of tips for cleanup participants. They include:

• Contact the DEP Blitz Captain for your municipality that you live in or want to volunteer in,
and provide them with your name and contact info. You will be assigned to a local
cleanup coordinator or to report to a specific cleanup site.
• Wear gloves when picking up litter -- bring work gloves or obtain gloves from coordinator.
• Wear closed-toe, flat-heeled shoes or boots.
• Dress appropriately and be prepared for the weather.
• Long-sleeved shirts and pants are preferred, to prevent scratches, insect bites, etc.
• Bring water and food if you plan to be outdoors for awhile.
• Bring a digital camera to help document the cleanup site.
• Bring appropriate medicine if you are allergic to bee stings, spider bites, etc.
• Do not risk injury -- avoid slippery, unstable, rocky and steep areas.
• Be alert for poison ivy, brambles, snakes, spiders and insects.
• Back away from animals, hives and holes and avoid poking or aggravating them.
• Avoid picking up large, bulky or heavy items, such as tires, appliances or furniture.
• Avoid stepping on, or picking up nails or broken glass.
• Avoid picking up hazardous materials, such as syringes and unmarked containers.
• Separate recyclable items from trash by carrying at least two trash bags with you.
• Tell the cleanup coordinator if heavy items or potentially hazardous materials are found.
• Tie trash bags securely and do not overfill them, to avoid rips.

Photo: Patricia A. Miller