Goderich Beach Butt Clean-up Needs Help

July 14, 2016

Huron County, ON – The Huron County Health Unit is calling for your help to clean up cigarette butts on the Goderich main beach.

Volunteers are needed for an upcoming beach clean-up that will raise awareness about the negative impacts that cigarette butt litter has on our environment. The clean-up will take place at the Goderich main beach on Tuesday, August 2 from 5-6:30 PM.

“This is a great opportunity for youth groups, sports teams and other members of the community to learn something new and make our communities cleaner, healthier places to live and play,” says Huron County Health Unit public health promotion student Michael Roy. “Volunteers will work together to collect cigarette butts along the beach.”

An average of 4.5 trillion cigarette butts are littered worldwide every year and never completely decompose. Over 4,200 butts were collected at the Grand Bend beach during a recent butt clean-up, held Tuesday, July 5.

“These littered butts can leach harmful chemicals into our waterways and soil,” explains Roy. “Cigarette butts have also been found in the stomachs of fish and birds, and they are toxic when ingested by young children or pets.”

If you are interested in volunteering for a few hours for the beach clean-up, contact Michael Roy at 519.482.3416 x 2031 or mroy@huroncounty.ca.

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For more information contact:

Susan Cronin, County Clerk
519.524.8394 (ext 3257)
scronin@huroncounty.ca
Michael Roy, Public Health Promotion Student. Our media contact will connect you to our spokesperson on this topic.