33rd Annual Town of Bluffton Beach Sweep/River Sweep
Saturday, September 17 9am-11:30am at Oyster Factory Park
The Town of Bluffton, Lowcountry Stormwater Partners, South Carolina Sea Grant Consortium, and the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources (SCDNR) invite all greater Bluffton residents and business owners to participate in the 33rd Annual Beach Sweep/River Sweep.
The event will be held at the Oyster Factory Park on the May River (63 Wharf Street). This is the 33rd year this statewide event has been held and the 14th year in which Bluffton has participated. Thousands of volunteers across the state participate annually in this event, which is South Carolina’s largest one-day, volunteer, litter clean-up of beaches, marshes, and waterways.
Coffee, snacks & supplies provided for volunteers!
The Town of Bluffton encourages all individuals, families, friends, schools, youth groups, civic groups, conservation groups and businesses to volunteer for a few hours to clean the river and roadsides which drain to the river.
Corner Perk will be providing a cup of their May River Blend coffee before the event and the Town of Bluffton will provide snacks and water to volunteers.
Necessary supplies including gloves, bags, sunscreen, and water will be provided by event partners. Just bring yourself and wear comfortable clothes and appropriate shoes.
Litter pickup will be taking place around the Historic District and on the May River.
Local kayak club members will be assisting with cleanup efforts on the water. If you’d like to participate with your own boat or kayak, please arrive by 8:30 a.m. to allow time for setup.
Each local volunteer becomes a citizen-scientist and records data about the type and amount of litter they collect. This data is tabulated, added to South Carolina’s statewide data, and is incorporated into the Ocean Conservancy’s worldwide data. This cumulative data provides crucial information on the sources of litter so communities can better identify and target anti-litter education.
Registration is not necessary however, please notify Lewis if you are bringing a community group or organization so the event can plan for special projects and an adequate quantity of supplies.
The Town of Bluffton and the County-wide stormwater education consortium, Lowcountry Stormwater Partners, thank all local and regional partners who make this event an annual success. Partners include i2 Recycle, Corner Perk, Waste Management, Outside Hilton Head, the Outside Foundation, Keep Beaufort County Beautiful, the Beaufort County Solid Waste & Recycling Division, Palmetto Pride, South Carolina Department of Natural Resources (SCDNR), and South Carolina Sea Grant Consortium.
To make the Town’s cleanups as sustainable as possible, i2 Recycle will be providing recycling services and bins. Volunteers will separate the litter they collect into two bags. i2 Recycle will process and recycle appropriate types of litter. Waste Management has also partnered with the Town to provide a trash receptacle so non-recyclable materials can be disposed of properly.
Since 1988, the South Carolina Sea Grant Consortium and the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources have organized this annual event. The Beach Sweep/River Sweep takes place in conjunction with the International Coastal Cleanup, coordinated by the Ocean Conservancy. The Ocean Conservancy tallies all the debris data from each location worldwide. The data helps those in charge of environmental protection to identify the sources of litter so they can make recommendations which may help prevent and reduce the amount of litter polluting our waterways.
If you are interested in keeping up to date on the latest Lowcountry Stormwater Partners news, please follow our work on Facebook and sign-up for the Changing Tides, our monthly e-newsletter. Visit http://www.clemson.edu/extension/carolinaclear/regional-consortiums/lsp/index.html to learn more.
Beth Lewis, Water Quality Program Administrator
Town of Bluffton
843-706-4559
http://www.TownOfBluffton.SC.gov
WHHI Daily News Anchor: Betsy McDaniel
September 2022
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