Wednesday 22 January 2014
Environment Department response to media enquiry from Guernsey Press.
Guernsey Press enquiry:
I have just spoken to Richard Lord, who said it was best to speak to you with regards to a recent clear-up around Petit Port.
I understand a group of volunteers helped out to clear the rubbish in the area.
We are very keen to run a story about this and therefore would it be possible to get some comments from you either over the phone or I can always pop some questions in an email?
Environment Department response:
The south westerly winds and high tides over the last three weeks had driven in a considerable quantity of rubbish onto Petit Port. The majority was rope, fishing net and line, broken fish boxes and pots, buckets, bottles and a multitude of unidentifiable smaller pieces of broken plastic.
The beach was cleared over two hours on Sunday morning (19 January) by 26 volunteers who scoured the shingle and rock outcrops. Some of the ropes and nets needed to be cut free from rocks and fifty black sacks of waste were collected and carried to the top of the steps. The rubbish was collected for disposal by States Works on Monday morning.
The clear up was the initiative of Take3 Guernsey with support from the Environment Department. Take3 Guernsey is a local Facebook group which encourages people to take three pieces of rubbish away with them when leaving a beach or anywhere outdoors.
An Environment Department spokesman said:
"The volunteers did an excellent job in clearing Petit Port and it was very satisfying to see the difference at the end of the clean up. Getting the rubbish to the top of the staircase was testing but many hands made the job much easier. Everyone's help in keeping Petit Port clean is appreciated but if anyone clears rubbish from the beach which is too big or heavy to take to the top of the steps the Environment Department would ask that it's placed on the grass on the left side of the slipway behind the lifebelt point. This is a better site for it than leaving it behind the rock catch fence where it reduces the efficiency of the fence and makes it more vulnerable to damage, particularly during storm conditions when waves overtop that area."
Contact Information:
Environmental Services Unit
Environment Department
Tel: 717200
