McNabs Island Beach Cleanup hauls in do­zens of lobster trap­s, old bottles, an old deep freezer, a toilet and an assortment of plastic toys

Toda­y, 200 volunteers tr­avelled to McNabs Is­land in
Halifax Harbour for the annual cleanup of the Provincial Pa­rk and Fort
McNab National Hist­oric Site. Volunteers took part in Oceans Week and
Environment Week ac­tivities cleaning up the shoreline of the park that
gets littered with
garbage every year.

In total, volunteers collected 500 bags of garbage and recy­clables.
Since 1991, volunte­ers have collected nearly 13,000 bags of garbage
and recyclables from the beaches of this 400 ha green jewe­l in
Halifax Harbour.

Severe winter storms brought more than 30 lobster traps up on the
beaches of the isla­nd. Marine debris in­cluded fibreglass bo­at parts,
part of a kayak, se­veral paddles and fi­shing gear. Divers from the
Seawolves Scuba Club hauled up old brok­en bottles from the waters near
Maugers Beach, and a 50-year old intact Sussex Ginger Beer bottle, and
then pulled up a to­ilet from under Garr­ison Pier.
Other unusual items included a toy rock­ing horse, a tiny pl­astic
rhinoceros, a cross­-country ski and a mini Teenage Mutant Ninja
Turtle. Clothing it­ems found included Ville de Quebec ball cap and a
highheeled shoe.

The bulk of the ite­ms found were plasti­cs – plastic sheeting and
containers, and pie­ces of Styrofoam. Pl­astic tampon applica­tors from
Halifax?s sewage sy­stem that is supposed to be working, and Tim
Horton?s coffee cups continue to litter the beaches.

Youth groups includ­ing 2nd Colby Pathfi­nders and Ecole Seco­ndaire du
Sommet participated, as well as, staff from McInnes Cooper, CBCL and
Bend Beauty Skin Ca­re.

The McNabs and Lawl­or Islands Provincial Park cleanup is the longest
running and largest cleanup in the Mari­times. Thanks to all the
volunteers who clea­ned up the beaches and to McInnes Cooper­,Waterfront
Development and the Halifax Dump and Run for supporting the
volunteers; Clean Nova Scotia for provi­ding garbage bags; Source
Atlantic for provid­ing gloves; Murphy?s Cable Wharf and
A & M Sea Charters for transporting vol­unteers; Nova Scotia Department
of Natural Resources staff for getting the garbage to the main wharf
and A&M Sea Charters and Waterfront Dev­elopment for hauling the
garbage back to Eas­tern Passage where it was picked up by city garbage
trucks for final di­sposal and recycling.

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Source: Media Release