Nearly four million pieces of marine litter have been collected this year from Auckland’s waterways as a result of The Coca-Cola Foundation’s grant to local environmental group Sea Cleaners.
The Coca-Cola Foundation’s grant has allowed Sea Cleaners to put another boat on the water, with a crew that goes out five days a week and one Sunday a month to clean up the Hauraki Gulf and Kaipara Harbour.
At the end of the eighth month of this year-long programme, 423,250 litres of rubbish had been collected – the equivalent of 14 full shipping containers.
Hayden Smith, Founder and Captain of Sea Cleaners says: “Retrieving over 14 shipping containers full of marine rubbish in the last eight months is a massive achievement and we are well on track to reach the year’s target of collecting 4.8 million pieces of litter.
“It’s fantastic to see the support and commitment Sea Cleaners is receiving from local communities and volunteers and the positive impact that it’s having on our waterways,” he says.
As part of the programme, Sea Cleaners has educated over 5,000 high school students on the proper disposal of litter and the importance of keeping New Zealand’s waterways clean.
“We’re thrilled to have been able to engage with so many youths and teach them the importance of recycling -as they are our future,” he says.
To learn more about The Coca-Cola Foundation visit: https://www.coca-colacompany.com/our-company/the-coca-cola-foundation
