The ESG reported successful results from Saturday's Clean Up The World with almost 700 volunteers involved throughout the day.

Below follows a statement from the ESG:

The ESG is very pleased to report its first findings after Saturdays community clean up. Around 40 teams were at 26 sites and tackled ecological, heritage and urban sites. Much awareness was raised with the inclusion of schools, clubs and associations, as well as NGOs, businesses, Govt agencies and more. We also saw a lot of hard work by many groups tasked with tackling old and new fly tipping areas. Among the worst were in the Upper Town, Upper Rock and Seven Sisters. This year we covered practically all of Gibraltar’s accessible coastline apart from Seven Sisters which required boat support. Altogether 15 large truckloads of waste were taken to one site and the final pile is disturbingly impressive. (Video clip attached).

Added to this was a significant contribution from commercial volunteers who, combined, removed 5 skip loads of old rubble and old construction material from what is intended to become a restored natural habitat at Blackstrap Cove (Media Luna). This is the start of this project for the area with more efforts to be applied going forward under the stewardship of the Dept of the Environment.

We also saw 50 divers in Rosia Bay, an astounding number, who together released this sensitive area from fishing related equipment clearing trapped lines and hooks on either side of the pier, among other social littering. 

While the efforts of Saturdays volunteers show excellent energy and community spirit , there are still people, including trade personnel, that are happy to use the quickest way to dump unwanted material regardless of the consequences. This must change. These issues will be included in reports going forward and recommendations made for change.

With a final tally of close to 700 volunteers it is impossible to thank everyone here who was out there cleaning, or removing waste collected, also a challenging job.  Many others were in the background before and during the day ensuring this large operation went off as smoothly and safely as possible. Thanks to all.