Coastal clean-up activities jointly performed by EPD and relevant authorities of Guangdong Province (with photos)

     A spokesman for the Environmental Protection Department (EPD) said today (June 20) that to celebrate World Oceans Day, the EPD had collaborated with the Department of Ecology and Environment of Guangdong Province (GDDEE) through the Hong Kong-Guangdong Marine Environmental Management Special Panel to organise coastal clean-up activities for the first time to jointly promote the messages of keeping our shorelines clean and protecting our ocean together.
 
     Representatives from government departments and volunteers of the two places organised a number of coastal clean-up activities during the period from May 25 to June 8 under the theme of "Care Our Ocean, Keep Our Beaches Clean". About 2 400 participants took part in the activities, which cleaned up over 20 kilometres of coast and collected 22 tonnes of refuse.
 
     The EPD together with volunteers from the Construction Industry Council and members of the Estate Agents Authority and the Scout Association of Hong Kong participated in beach clean-up activities at Shap Long, Chi Ma Wan and Shui Hau as well as Tai Long Wan, Lantau Island, in May and June. The GDDEE carried out various beach clean-up activities in 14 coastal cities at prefecture-level or above in June.
 
     This series of joint coastal clean-up activities was a major milestone marking a closer collaboration between government departments in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area and a big step towards greater co-operation in marine environmental education. Through these activities, members of the public can understand more about the marine refuse problem, thereby instilling behavioural changes to reduce waste at source, protect the ocean and keep the beaches clean.