1,700 pounds of garbage on Chacachacare

The event was part of the International Coastal Clean-up (ICC) 2016 campaign and themed, “Environmental Pride is National Pride.” The Ministry, in a statement to the media yesterday, said it was the world’s largest one-day volunteer effort to clean the marine environment.

“Two hours after the clean-up, volunteers amassed more than 1,700 pounds of trash, but were left feeling disappointed as the island looked much the same as when they arrived,” the Ministry said.

“The quantity of garbage discarded throughout the island was a jarring reminder of the need to care for the environment and protect our oceans. Ocean trash is detrimental to the health and well-being of people, wildlife and local economies.

It has the potential to kill marine animals, injure swimmers, damage property such as boat propellers and poison our waters and seafood.” Once washed ashore, the release noted that trash becomes an eyesore and can harbour rodents, as was discovered on Chacachacare.

The Ministry said this year marks this country’s 16th year of involvement in the ICC.

“Approximately 180 volunteers boarded a ship at Pier 1 Chaguaramas, among the volunteers were Ministers of Planning and Development, Camille Robinson- Regis, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Planning and Development Joanne Deoraj, Planning and Development staff members including representatives from the EPPD, CDA, and EMA, volunteers from the Port Authority Sports Club, Hakwai Clan, Trinidad Carnival Diaries, Earth Strong Trinidad and Tobago and members of the public were also aboard the vessel bound for the isle of Chacachacare.” The Government is presently pursuing initiatives for the environmentally sound management of waste in Trinidad and Tobago.

The iCARE project is the EMA’s National Recyclable Solid Waste Collection Project which aims to instil an attitude of conservation and recycling through an educational recycling campaign.