Media Release- EMA Cleans Mayaro and Chacachacare for ICC

Media ReleaseEMA Cleans Mayaro and Chacachacare for ICC 2014
22 September, 2014
For the 28th Annual International Coastal Cleanup (ICC) exercise on Saturday 20th September
2014 coordinated by Ocean Conservancy, the Environmental Management Authority (EMA) was
actively involved in the cleaning of two designated sites- Mayaro Beach and Chacachacare. The
EMA spearheaded the cleanup of a portion of the Mayaro Beach spanning approximately a halfmile, and was joined by the Community-based Environmental Protection and Enhancement
Programme (CEPEP) Company, Councillor for the Mayaro/Guayaguayare District Mr. Kyron
James, Direct TV, the EMA Youth Ambassadors, Lakshmi Girls Hindu College’s Environmental
Club and the El Dorado East Secondary School’s Environmental Club. At Chacachacare, the
EMA collaborated with several ICC partners including Atlantic LNG, Turtle Village Trust and
Eco Divers for this effort.
This year over 21 corporate and non-governmental organizations cleaned 20 sites across Trinidad
and Tobago including Chacachacare, beaches in Las Cuevas, La Brea (Station Beach), Hart’s
Cut in Chaguaramas, Balandra, Manzanilla, Vessingy, Quinam, Carli Bay, Guapo, Salybia,
Chagville, Scotland Bay, Mayaro, San Souci, Matura, Moruga and Williams Bay. The Caura and
Morang Rivers were also included in the list of ICC sites.
The cleanup efforts of over 150 volunteers at Mayaro yielded 1,886 pounds of garbage including
110 bags of garbage, 2,351 plastic bottles, 920 glass bottles and 355 aluminum cans. The CEPEP
Company coordinated the collection of all items and as part of the National Beverage Containers
Cleanup Project, all plastic and glass bottles collected from both sites will be sent to the storage
warehouses.
The EMA’s Managing Director (Ag) Ms. Gayatri Badri Maharaj commended all parties for
volunteering their time and resources towards this activity. “Pollution is a burgeoning problem
for coastal ecosystems and the ICC gives the world an opportunity to purge our coastlines of
debris and trace their sources through data collection. The ICC is gaining momentum in T&T
and this yearly public awareness initiative is aimed at encouraging responsible disposable habits
among our population.
“Last year the coastline of Chacachacare appeared to be overwhelmed by debris with a total of
1,412 pounds collected. This year the coastline of Mayaro Beach appeared relatively clean,
however, the site also proved to be heavily-impacted as evidenced by the increased pounds of
garbage collected. Finding a solution to this problem goes beyond the ICC effort. It requires a
national movement combining legislative, enforcement and public awareness action across all
state agencies mandated to address pollution. The EMA pledges its firm support to all partners in
combating marine pollution.”
PHOTOS
Caption: all garbage items being sorted according to plastics, general waste and glass at Mayaro
Beach.
Caption: volunteers weighing the garbage at Mayaro Beach
Caption (ABOVE): from left: Ms. Shyann Mohan, Senior Public Relations and Corporate
Communications at the CEPEP Company, Members of the CEPEP Company’s Board of
Directors Mr. Wilfred Farrell, Mr. Bernard James, Mr. Leon Prevatt, and Ms. Gayatri Badri
Maharaj. Managing Director (Ag) of the EMA at Mayaro Beach
Caption: EMA volunteers at Chacachacare
Caption (ABOVE): Members of the EMA’s Board of Directors Mr. Chaitram Hargobin
collecting plastics at Chacachacare.
END