EAD supports 'Clean Up Arabia' campaign

The drive was part of the overall Clean Up Arabia campaign, and covered around 1.8 km on land and 8km underwater.

Volunteers participating in this campaign came from EAD, ADCO, Total ABK, Girl Scouts and Brownies from American Community School (Grades 2, 3 & 4), Girl Scouts from GEMS American Academy (Grade 2 and 3), VEOLIA -ES, Abu Dhabi Government employees and private school students.

The drive was also supported by GASCO Diving Club, Abu Dhabi International Marine Sports Club, Abu Dhabi Municipality and Abu Dhabi Marine Police.

The most unusual item removed from the seabed was a remote-controlled helicopter toy.

A total of 4,745 items were collected, including 1007 cigarettes, 995 plastic bags, 289 plastic bottles, 141 glass bottles, 707 beverage cans, 632 disposal food stuff, 866 food wrappers and containers, 320 styrofoam items, 26 caps(lids), 10 toys, 9 clothing items, 6 fishing nets, among others.

The majority of the collected debris will be recycled including the plastic bags used to remove the trash. Moreover, cans, papers, gloves and glass items used during the drive will also be recycled.

From the 72 bags used during the campaign, 60 bags will be recycled.

This campaign was organized all over the UAE, in collaboration with the International Coastal Cleanup, where the local organizer Emirates Diving Association will document the quantity and type of garbage collected by individual groups.

The results will be submitted to the ICC, which compiles and analyses this information each year from volunteers all over the world.

The information collected during these clean-up campaigns is being used to educate the public, business, industry and Government officials about the UAE's serious marine debris problem.