Fireworks trash and more beach cleanup Sunday, July 5

CoastSavers, the Surfrider Foundation and Twin Harbors State Park are teaming up to clean up Washington’s coastal beaches on July 5. Local organizers are looking for volunteers to help gather the enormous amount of trash left on the South Beach shoreline following 4th of July celebrations.

Check-in time and location

Check-in will be at the Schafer Rd. Beach Approach parking lot across SR105 at the Grayland ‘T’ between 9 a.m. and 1 p.m. on Sunday. Volunteers will receive garbage bags, basic information about the cleanup and fill out a State Parks volunteer timesheet.

The cleanup Dumpster will be located at the Bonge Ave. Beach Approach. A BBQ for participants will be held at the Schafer Rd. sign-up location Sunday afternoon.

Sign-up

You can sign up online now at: http://www.coastsavers.org/…/washington-coast…/twin-harbors/ or sign-up at the Schaeffer Beach Approach Road parking lot Sunday morning.

Please check-in before beginning any cleanup activities. Collect trash and marine debris from the beach and place in provided bags. Carry filled bags above the high tide line and leave them in piles. No special skills are required. Participants must be able to bend repeatedly and pick up and carry items of varying weight and size.

Tides and weather

On July 5, low tide will occur around 10:20 a.m. (-1.6 ft.). High tide will occur around 5 p.m. (+9.8 ft.). Check the weather forecast for the coast and plan your clothing and supplies accordingly. It’s a good idea to have layers that help protect you from water, wind and cold.

Recycling

If you would like to take recyclables back home with you, please do. However, please be aware that most recycling companies will not accept highly degraded items or anything filled with wet sand or other beach muck.

Parking

Parking is available at both Schafer Road and Bonge Avenue. Park only in the parking lots and not along the roads. There are restrooms available at both parking lots.

Basic Safety Guidelines

• Wear gloves, proper clothing and water-resistant shoes.

• Do not touch medical waste, dead animals, hazardous materials or sharp objects. If you are uncertain about an item, do not touch it.

• Do not approach wildlife.

• Report hazardous items that cannot be removed to event staff.

• Work with a partner.

• Be careful of unstable banks, steep slopes or slippery surfaces.

• Do not try to lift anything that is too heavy for you. Ask for help!

• Watch for poison oak, plants with thorns or other natural hazards.

• Watch for any trucks or equipment that might be used in the project.

• When driving on the beach (State Parks only), stay on compacted sand. Do not drive into sand that is very soft or very wet. All South Beach Washington State Parks beaches will be open to driving, but there is no vehicle access onto the beach from Schaeffer Road.

More Info

Data debris program

The amount and type of debris you find on our beaches gives evidence of its globally diverse sources and its impact on ocean ecosystems. Help us analyze what it all means by participating in our data collection program.

If you will be at the cleanup with a group, please download our Debris Data Card and fill out as you clean the beach (also available at check in). One group member should fill out the form while others call out their findings. After the cleanup, simply go online and transfer your findings to our debris database. Collective results will be available online to anyone seeking to understand and reduce the effects of marine debris.

Beach location

From Aberdeen, take State Route 105 south towards Westport approximately 19 miles. When you come to the ‘T’, go straight across the highway onto Schafer Road. Follow the road to the parking lot.

Share your photos

Got photos from a Washington CoastSavers event? Share them online in our Flickr™ group.

Grab a bag on the 4th

Volunteers will also be stationed at beach approached on the 4th of July to hand out trash bags. Please grab a bag if you are planning to shoot off fireworks on the beach. Fill it with your debris and bring it back off the beach.