Volunteers needed to clean beaches

A program to clean up local beaches is underway and looking for volunteers to help in the effort.
New York City Department of Environmental Protection's (NYCDEP) Volunteer Beach Floatable Survey program enlists volunteers to survey local beaches for floatable debris. Floatable debris is waterborne was material that floats. This can include Styrofoam, rubber, metal, medical waste, wood, raw sewage, cloth and glass items that are harmful to the inhabitants of the water, beachgoers and the environment.
After a volunteer is trained, he or she picks a 200 ft. section of the beach, marks it with 100 feet of rope and spends about 20-30 minutes once a week recording what manmade debris washes up to the high water mark after the tide retreats. A survey sheet lists 135 floatables in nine different categories. The volunteer does not need to touch anything.
The surveying information usually comes out around February/March. It is released to state federal agencies, environmental organizations and any other group that could use the information. If there is a problem on a beach, a fleet of workers will go out and clean it up.
The program began about seven years ago by the city after needles and sewage washed up on its shores. Currently, there are over 75 volunteers.
&#8220This is really a citizen's program to help the beaches,” said Robert Gans, program director. &#8220We are trying to be the eyes and ears for any problem that might occur.”
The surveying in Queens covers the beaches in Rockaway and Douglaston Manor. They are looking for volunteers for Little Bay, Fort Totten, Alley Pond Park and Powell's Cove Creek in Whitestone. The program occurs throughout the city.
Anyone can volunteer. High school and college students can get community service credit. Most of the surveying ends in October. If you are interested, you can call 212-889-4216 or email Ozonelayerllc@cs.com.