September 16, 2005

Contact: Ian Michaels (718) 595-6600

DEP Part of International Beach Clean-Up Day

Commissioner Emily Lloyd of the New York City Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) is encouraging all New Yorkers and DEP’s 6000+ employees to participate in the 20th Annual New York State Beach Cleanup Day. The event is organized in New York by the American Littoral Society.

In 2004, over 7,700 New Yorkers worked at 312 sites to remove over 215,513 pounds of debris from the State’s beaches. This year, thousands of volunteers from local environmental groups, schools, civic organizations, government agencies and the general public will join forces in New York City .

This year’s effort will focus on documenting debris in an attempt to determine the sources of pollution. Much of the debris that winds up on City beaches starts out as street litter. Thousands of pieces of street litter are washed into City storm sewers when it rains and eventually find their way to the Harbor and onto beaches.

People wishing to volunteer should call the American Littoral Society at (800) 449-0790 or go to the ALS Web site at www.ALSNYC.org.