The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) has organised and carried out a clean-up operation to reduce marine debris.
MPA worked with volunteers and Baey Yam Keng, senior parliamentary secretary for transport and culture, community and youth, to carry out the Marine Clean-Up Day. Nearly 240kg of marine debris was collected, sorted and recorded for data research purposes.
Mr Yam Keng said: “MPA has undertaken various efforts in the area of marine conservation over the past few years. The Marine Clean-Up Day is the first time MPA is working with so many like-minded groups of volunteers. I hope that through such efforts, more members of the public will be aware of the role they can play in protecting our environment.”
At this year’s Marine Clean-Up Day, the Public Hygiene Council (PHC) loaned litter picking tools from the cleanpods at East Coast Park for volunteers who gathered litter and micro-plastics at East Coast Beach for disposal.
Stand-up paddlers from the Surfing Association Singapore and volunteer kayakers cleared floating marine debris from the coastal waters.
Divers from Our Singapore Reefs removed marine debris around Lazarus Island. Concurrently, members of the local fishing community such as Marine Stewards also committed to clearing trash when out at sea, or at the beach.
Better Trails helped to organise the event and My Fishing Frenzy Academy was also a partner.
First launched in 2016 as ‘Clean-Up on Kayak’, the Marine Clean-Up Day is designed to complement MPA’s existing efforts to protect the marine environment and ensure that port waters are clean and safe. These include MPA’s World Oceans Day Celebration, where underwater clean-up activities and public outreach events are organised annually.
