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Date Published: 11/08/2022

Gifts for garbage: Alicante launches novel campaign to keep its beaches clean

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The two-week initiaitve is taking place on playas San Juan, La Albufereta, El Postiguet and Urbanova

Gifts for garbage: Alicante launches novel campaign to keep its beaches clean

Alicante City Council has launched a novel campaign to keep its coastline clean by offering gifts in exchange for rubbish to encourage locals and tourists to dispose of plastics and other garbage responsibly and not to litter beaches with cigarette butts.

The awareness initiative, in collaboration with the cleaning and waste collection service, UTE Alicante, kicked off on Wednesday August 10 and will run for two weeks along the entire coastline: San Juan, La Albufereta, El Postiguet and Urbanova.

Councillor for Cleaning, Manuel Villar, explained that "the aim of this campaign is to make the public aware of the importance of keeping the beaches clean and to avoid leaving our waste on them, especially during these summer months when there is an increase in visitors".

He added: "Our job is cleanliness, but raising public awareness is crucial. We all like to go to the beach and see it clean, so it is an individual responsibility not to leave waste on the sand, such as cigarette butts or plastics, as this affects both marine life and the food chain of citizens".

Also read: Mediterranean sea temperature on the Costa Blanca reaches record highs

Four environmental experts, clearly identified with T-shirts and caps, will visit the beaches to spread this message and there will be educational and fun days with games, workshops and information points from 10am to 1.30pm.

The 'educators' will have large inflatable items, such as cigarette butts or a PET bottle, for the public to take selfies, and two portable information stands will be placed on each beach so that the public can exchange waste.

"It's important not to leave our footprint on our coastline," added Villar.

And to reinforce the message, banners will be erected at prominent locations, reading: Respect what you love...Don't leave the waste you generate on the beach.....Don't flood the beach with your cigarette butts....Everything you throw on the ground will end up in the Mediterranean.

Now read: Top beaches to visit in Alicante,Spain: Ultimate Costa Blanca South beach guide

Image: Ayuntamiento de Alicante

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