PANAMA CITY BEACH — Ashley Hayward, president of Keep PCB Beautiful, said a “huge” amount of trash was left on local beaches this summer.
The nonprofit held its fifth annual Robbie Atchinson Memorial Beach cleanup Sunday at Beach Access Five, on Five Gulf View Drive in the Panama City Beach area.
About 25 volunteers collected more than 50 pounds of trash in just one hour. Hayward said the amount of trash on the beach shows how littered the local beaches are.
The occasion is held in honor of Atchinson, a founding member of the organization who died a few years ago.
“It shows that (beach lovers) can do a million times better,” Hayward said. “We don’t consider ourselves as responsible as we should. We’ve been lucky to be in this field and we’re not doing it the service it deserves. “
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Unlike the larger events organized through Keep PCB Beautiful that hide a much larger portion of the beach, Robbie Atchinson’s goal is the domain near Beach Access 5.
Hayward said some of the main pieces discovered there Sunday included plates, diapers, damaged fishing rods, tissues, streamers and remnants of fireworks.
He also said the beach had been looted more in June and July than he remembered in previous summers.
“I’ve won more phone calls this year than our former president has in recent years,” Hayward said. “I’ve noticed a lot of water bottles and I can’t dwell on how many cans of beer I’ve noticed. “
These elements interfere with the ecosystem and can also create protective hazards against natural disasters.
“Our region is prone to severe storms. . . and leaving trash on the beach can put other people at risk,” Hayward said. and garbage) can end up preventing (sea) turtles from leaving (their) nests on the shore. “
He also said cigarette butts, which take “about nine months in the best situation” to break down, can release pollutants into the soil than coastal plants.
While the group’s efforts help keep the coastline blank for tourists, who largely fund the local economy, that’s not their primary mission, Hayward said. The main objective is to protect nature.
“We like the fact that tourism is our main activity, and we need other people to come and participate in the festivities here. . . however, Keep PCB Beautiful is not about tourists,” he said. “We are our community and if you bring us touristsArray. . . it’s great. “
Hayward said the best way for bathers to get the lead is to leave the beach better than they found it.
While he believes that most citizens perceive this responsibility, he says it turns out that many tourists have not yet gotten the message.
“If you see trash, pick it up,” he said. It’s a very beautiful position for all of us, and we want it to be our main goal to keep things going. “