Sept. 16 is beach clean-up day

On Saturday, September 16 volunteers from all over Wayne County will go to the beach one last time. They will carry plastic bags instead of sand pails. They will wear shoes and gloves instead of flip-flops and bathing suits.

Scouts, 4-H members, families and individuals will be a part of the annual international event to clean up beaches and draw attention to the problem of waste materials being discarded in waterways.

In Wayne County, the Western Finger Lakes Authority coordinates the volunteers who do the actual clean up. The American Littoral Society, New York Chapter, located in Far Rockaway, New York spearheads the New York State effort. The Center for Marine Conservation, located in Virginia Beach, Virginia, coordinates the United States program.

Cleaning the beach areas of eyesores, dangers to navigation, and hazards is only part of the effort. Volunteers work in teams. One volunteer 'holds the bag' for collecting the trash. Another volunteer, protected by work gloves, picks up the debris along the beach. The third volunteer in the team carries a pencil and a record sheet on which to note all the materials picked up. Everything from cigarette butts to tires to shipping pallets is collected and noted.

The volunteers call in the results of their search to both the American Littoral Society and the Western Finger Lakes Authority. They summarize the sheets from their group if more than one team was working and send that summary to both the above organizations. The raw data sheets, the originals from their collection, are sent to the Center for Marine Conservation.

It is the job of the national organization with the results from around the world. The research and lobbying group uses the information to work for legislative reform and for sounder practices in all types of vessels.

September 16 marks the 13th annual International Beach Clean Up.

Anyone who wishes more information should call Marjorie Haizlip at the Western Finger Lakes Authority, 946.7650.