Joshua Parfitt
OVER a hundred volunteers cleared out worn tires, shoes and plastic bags from Javea’s coastline last Sunday following the deadly onslaught of storm Gloria.
Young and old mucked in to find everything from 50-year-old electrical appliances to days-old polystyrene coughed up by the angry sea.
According to Plastic Patrol volunteer Martine Newman, the efforts were vital to teach children ‘the importance of recycling and keeping our area clear of litter’.
“We want to leave a clean planet in the hands of the next generation,” Martine, who joined Plastic Patrol two years ago, told the Olive Press.
She said dozens of volunteers from the Costa Blanca-based environmental group scoured Javea’s shoreline, from the port to the Arenal beach, to ‘give back to the community’.
She especially warned residents of flushing wet wipes down the toilet, as they do not biodegrade in the oceans.
The largely expat-run Plastic Patrol were joined by local group ‘Javea te Quiero. Limpia’, who cleared 3m3 from Javea’s port.
“We congratulate everyone for their efforts as it was tough taking out trash from the rocks in uncomfortable positions,” a statement from the group said.
“This is the beginning of the cleaning that we will carry out to improve the state of the coves and beaches of our town, and help the town hall to achieve normalcy as soon as possible.”
