CLEANUP & RESTORATION

The OLF has collaborated locally and internationally to clean shorelines and complete research around British Columbia-CAN, Yelapa-MX, Alaska-USA, North Pacific Gyre-Pacific Ocean, Uvita-CR and San Blas-PAN. Volunteers have now removed over 70 metric tons of mixed plastic, foam pollution and Japanese driftage. (2020)

The Cleanup & Restoration component assists communities in physically removing plastic pollution from ecologically sensitive environments to create a cleaner and safer place for wildlife, communities, and eco-tourism.   This pillar is also an educational component as it provides opportunities for citizens to witness plastic pollution and to partake in action-based engagement.

The cleanup tools and solutions that OLF utilizes includes:

• International Cleanup Series strategic plan and framework (tactical guide and set of instructions is to determine scope, resources, key components and major tasks to illustrate how to systematically plan, coordinate and complete small to moderate and large-scale cleanups)
• Pre-conditions Assessment Parameter Matrix to detect early signs of difficulties to initiate corrective actions for potential site hazards, topography, accessibility, waste composition and material volume estimates, and transportation requirements;
• Survey of plastic congestion through the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration survey guidelines to track composition, volume and reaccumulation rate of material washing up on to shorelines;
• Shoreline cleanup strategies and best management work practices for collection, sorting, transporting and processing materials; and
• Shoreline cleanup best management safety standards.

CLEANUP TOOLS