September 16, 2004

Contact: Ian Michaels (718) 595-6600

DEP Part of International Beach Cleanup Day

Commissioner Christopher O. Ward of the New York City Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) is encouraging all New Yorkers and DEP’s 6000+ employees to participate in the 19 th Annual New York State Beach Cleanup Day. The event is organized in New York by the American Littoral Society.

In 2003, over 10,000 New Yorkers worked at over 351 sites to remove over 334,000 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.