PITCH-IN CANADA
Shoreline Clean Up

LOCAL VOLUNTEERS ASSIST IN TRACKING DOWN POLLUTERS

YOUR TOWN: Students of (or members of) ...(name of group/school)...... will clean-up beaches of....(area)......... as part of PITCH-IN CANADA's shoreline clean-up program aimed at reducing, and locating the sources of, marine debris. Their clean-up will take place on .......(day)........, (month)...........,200 .

Participants will clean-up any debris they find and record the types and amount of trash found on shorelines on specially designed data cards. The data collected will be sent to PITCH-IN CANADA, a national non-profit organization.

"We want to identify marine polluters," says....(name of your local spokesperson)....,..(title/name of your organization)...."Marine debris kills wildlife and costs local and other authorities a lot to clean up."

Maintaining a clean marine environment is critical to life on earth. More than two-thirds of Earth is covered with water which provide food, transportation, pleasure, weather and jobs.

Once it enters Canada's lakes and waterways and the world's oceans, marine debris, and in particular, plastic, persists, choking waterways, fouling beaches, threatening human health and endangering marine wildlife.

Marine debris originates on land and on water. Vessels, from small sailboats, fishing boats and large container ships to offshore rigs and drilling platforms are often part of the problem.

On land, overflowing stormdrains and sewer systems are often major contributors adding sewage, street-runoff, medical wastes and other debris to the world's oceans. People enjoying the outdoors also add their share by littering beaches. In some areas the ocean is also still perceived as a convenient dumpsite.

Even though it's difficult to determine who threw the trash into lakes, rivers or oceans, once it is in the water, debris can be carried by winds and currents and often travels thousands of kilometres. Canadian debris regularly and increasingly winds up on beaches in Europe while waste produced in Asian countries washes up on Canada's West Coast.

"Local clean-ups, such as this one in ...(your town's name)..., play a very important part in making Canadians aware of the problem and the need to make sure they are not adding to it the next time they are out boating or enjoying the beach," says Allard van Veen, founder of PITCH-IN CANADA. He is quick to add that individuals may only be causing a small part of the problem. "Many of our sewer, storm drain and waste control systems in communities need upgrading and more must be done at our harbours to collect and contain waste from vessels."

PITCH-IN CANADA, a national non-profit organization was formed in 1967 by half a half a dozen volunteers, including van Veen, who regularly cleaned local beaches in Victoria, B.C. Their concern for the effects of debris on the marine environment led to what has become a dedicated effort in Canada to clean-up and identify the sources of marine debris.

For more information about marine debris and to find out more about PITCH-IN CANADA, the organization can be reached at www.pitch-in.ca or by writing to Box 45011, Ocean Park PO, White Rock, B.C., V4A 9L1.

To participate in the local shoreline clean-up contact ....(your name/organization/address/phone....).

Optional paragraph if seeking volunteers

Anyone can participate in the PITCH-IN CANADA Program. Free information about the campaign, helpful hints and data collection cards can be obtained by visiting PITCH-IN CANADA web site at www.pitch-in.ca

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To Contact PITCH-IN CANADA send e-mail to pitch-in@pitch-in.ca or visit PITCH-IN CANADA's Media Centre at www.pitch-in.ca.

For a media release to use after your clean up click here.