LAKE WORTH BEACH, Fla. — 150 volunteers spent Saturday morning clearing debris from Lake Worth Beach as part of the global cleanup initiative. The event brought together Keep Palm Beach County Beautiful, the Sheriff's Office and families from nearby schools near Benny's on the Beach.
The event marks the 40th International Coastal Clean-up and volunteers say they're seeing different types of trash than they did decades ago, highlighting evolving environmental challenges.
WPTV's Victor Jorges spoke to organizers about what’s next after volunteers put in the work.
"We've picked up hundreds of pounds of trash," said Linda Moreno, executive director for Keep Palm Beach County Beautiful.
The organization weighs and catalogs all collected debris, sending the data to the Ocean Conservancy to contribute to global pollution tracking efforts.
After four decades of participation, organizers have noticed significant changes in both participation and the types of pollution they encounter. More families are now attending the events as a way to spend time together while contributing to environmental protection.
The composition of beach litter has also evolved over the years. Volunteers are finding fewer cigarette butts scattered across the sand, suggesting possible changes in smoking habits or disposal practices. However, they're encountering a new challenge: microplastics.
These tiny plastic fragments are becoming increasingly common but present a greater removal challenge due to their small size, making cleanup efforts more complex than in previous decades.
More information about Keep Palm Beach County Beautiful's volunteer opportunities are available here:
https://www.keeppbcbeautiful.org/monthly-volunteer-opportunities.html
