CNMI 2020 International Coastal Cleanup
Last Sept. 19, in celebration of the 2020 International Coastal Cleanup Day, 975 volunteers cleaned up 76 locations, and collected 9,144 lbs of trash! Saipan had 750 volunteers who collected 7,040 lbs of trash, Tinian had 59 volunteers who collected 887 lbs of trash, and Rota had 166 volunteers who collected 1,217 lbs of trash!
10 Most Collected Debris during the 2020 ICC
Cigarette Butts 9,833
Plastic Bottle Caps 5,576
Beverage Cans 2,882
Food Wrappers 2,388
Plastic Bottles 1,958
Metal Bottle Caps 1,547
Plastic Cutlery 1,339
Straws/Stirrers 1,235
Other Plastic Bags 984
Plastic Grocery Bags 834
Tiny wastes collected (less than 2.5cm)
Remnants of what used to be larger debris
Tiny Foam Pieces 705
Tiny Glass Pieces 906
Microplastics 26,509
Foam, glass, and plastic never fully biodegrades and instead breaks down into smaller and smaller pieces that, occasionally, find its way onto our shores.
Source: BECQ-DCRM
