Collection Protocols

With each tide and storm flotsam and debris washes ashore.  The bits of seaweed, kelp, feathers, shells, driftwood and natural materials are intermixed with an increasing portion of plastics, Styrofoam, and other manmade items.  Our goal is to raise awareness and educate the public about the problem while directly helping to solve it.

What we collect is all plastic and Styrofoam.  We bag and dispose of all plastic bags, aluminum cans, lost rope, buoy pieces, busted traps as appropriate and most other items that would be considered garbage.  We do not currently collect wood or pressure treated wood unless the item can be promptly repurposed.  We generally leave glass, metal and bricks behind.  Glass if collected and any potentially sharp items should be kept separately in buckets for the safety of those moving, handling and later sorting the debris.   We empty all liquids from water and soda bottles before bagging and bringing them in.

Jugs and containers with oil, hydraulic fluid, bleach or other hazardous liquids are tricky.  It is great to remove these from wild lands and the ocean’s edge, however, once collected disposal becomes the collector’s responsibility.  If a mystery or hazardous liquid is collected, first make sure that it will not leak and together we will collaborate with the local transfer station to facilitate proper disposal.  If while picking the shore you find an item that you are unsure how to safely handle, there is no shame in leaving it behind.