ocean cleanup

A group dedicated to cleaning up Nova Scotia’s oceans and beaches is in need of urgent help.

Scotian Shores is looking for storage space in Kings and Annapolis Counties. 

According to the group’s website, they’ve cleaned up more than 1.8 million pounds of debris since 2020. Project Manager Angela Riley said these decentralized storage spaces give them the ability to sort debris before taking it to the appropriate place for recycling.

“A big thing that we really focus on is the diversion of the materials, we don’t want to just pick it up and throw it in the landfill because that’s definitely not the answer to this,” said Riley. “We can recycle quite a bit, but in order to do it and to make it so that we’re not creating this huge carbon footprint by making a million tiny little trips we stockpile it… then we take time to have it sorted so it can be recycled.”

The group has storage spaces in Yarmouth County, Digby County, Barrington and Shelburne, but their current location in Kings County was donated by a member of the community, and is now going to be repurposed and developed.

Riley said that the local community would be the one to feel the biggest impact of losing that space.

“It’s good for the local people who are cleaning because there’s a lot of people out there that are doing beach clean ups,” said Riley. “They need a place close by where they can bring the debris and get help with sorting… If we don’t have a place to take the literal metric tons of rope and plastic bins and the other debris, then yeah, it’s going to impact us.”

Riley said a gravel pad, semi secure yard space, or corner lot would be enough, but that covered storage like a barn would be ideal.

“I’ve made a lovely little wish list, but you know, beggars can’t be choosers,” said Riley.

To reach out to Scotian Shores about available space or for any inquiries, Riley said their email, scotianshores@gmail.com is best, but that they also answer on their website and on Facebook.