The beaches around Haines are a little cleaner this week thanks to a few dozen volunteers.
About 35 volunteers assisted with the International Coastal Cleanup Day on Sept. 17, organized by the Takshanuk Watershed Council. The event ran in conjunction with the Ocean Conservancy’s International Coastal Cleanup Day.
“It’s all supposed to happen in one day,” said executive director Brad Ryan.
Local volunteers fanned out across the area including Portage Cove, the beach from town to Picture Point, Lutak beaches to a mile past the rest stop, the beaches at the end of Lutak and Viking Cove and Letnikof Cove beaches.
Ryan said many areas were fairly clean and trash-free already. But he said it appears that some people use certain areas of Lutak beaches to intentionally dump trash. In those areas he said volunteers recovered bags of trash and several large items like a recliner, futon and freezer. Other items were too difficult to remove, like an old boat engine block and a tractor, Ryan said.
In all, volunteers collected seven pick-up loads of trash. Ryan said the Haines Community Waste Solutions took the trash items from the group for free, and the Haines Friends of Recycling accepted the recyclables volunteers were able to separate out.
Ryan said the event is made possible with a Coastal Code grant, sponsored by Alaska Brewing Co.