Cleanup efforts led by the Campbell River Association of Tour Operators (CRATO) have concluded, resulting in vast quantities of debris collected from hundreds of kilometres of local shorelines.
For the provincially-funded project, CRATO was responsible for the cleanup of about 350 kilometres of shoreline on east Vancouver Island from Comox north to Chatham Point, as well as along some adjacent islands and mainland inlets. Four First Nation bands were involved in the project alongside five local tour companies, plus hired staff and volunteers.
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These cleanup efforts, which started in the fall, have now concluded.
In total, over 37 tonnes of debris were collected.
B次元官网网址淲e were finding between 1,000 and 2,000 kilograms of debris every 10 kilometres B次元官网网址� thatB次元官网网址檚 a fair bit,B次元官网网址� said Bill Coltart, CRATO president. B次元官网网址淚t was interesting to see just how much debris we were able to take out of the marine environment.B次元官网网址�
The collected recyclable materials have been sorted and are now being shipped to the Ocean Legacy recycling facility in Vancouver. This non-profit specializes in addressing marine plastic pollution.
Coltart commends the B.C. government for agreeing to fund the program.
B次元官网网址淭he province had the foresight to see it could deal with two issues,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淥ne was the fact that tour operators are obviously struggling B次元官网网址� and they could keep them working longer than what they normally would in a normal season B次元官网网址� but then also have a significant environmental impact.B次元官网网址�
Marine debris B次元官网网址� which includes items such as tires, plastics and styrofoam B次元官网网址� is often not noticeable from a boat, said Coltart.
B次元官网网址淵ou think itB次元官网网址檚 pristine, beautiful shoreline,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淵ou just donB次元官网网址檛 see it B次元官网网址� itB次元官网网址檚 hidden.B次元官网网址�
But these materials are revealed at the high-tide watermark, where they have been pushed by storms and wave action.
B次元官网网址淭hatB次元官网网址檚 where you start getting massive amounts of debris,B次元官网网址� he said.
The difficulty of the cleanup was often tied to the tide.
B次元官网网址淥n a low tide, itB次元官网网址檚 quite easy to watch those beaches and maneuver around, but on high tide it could be a little bit more of a challenge,B次元官网网址� said Coltart. B次元官网网址淚f youB次元官网网址檙e lucky, weB次元官网网址檙e having to move the workers into shallow repeats; itB次元官网网址檚 not steep, rocky shorelines at that point.B次元官网网址�
Conditions were challenging through the last legs of the cleanup.
B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檝e got a fair bit of snow and some cold, but weB次元官网网址檝e got a hearty crew thatB次元官网网址檚 been working with us,B次元官网网址� he said.
Coltart said CRATO has been encouraging the provincial government to consider funding the project, at least in the short term.
B次元官网网址淗opefully, weB次元官网网址檙e not picking up this amount of debris on a regular basis, but certainly moving forward, we could extend our area,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 a drop in the bucket, really, what we were able to manage.B次元官网网址�
sean.feagan@campbellrivermirror.com
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