Tag Archives: Styrofoam

Waste

2023 Cortes Island Beach Clean-up

Eleven volunteers turned out for the Friends of Cortes Island (FOCI) annual Beach-Clean-up on Saturday, June 17. 

“Most of what we collected today is styrofoam, which is used for floats. That’s obviously washed up on the beach, which is great to get off because it breaks up. We got a whole truckload full of styrofoam. We’ve also picked up a lot of the little black plastic trays they use on the oyster farms, tires with styrofoam in them, a few buoys and then just some sort of trash, but mainly styrofoam,” explained Helen Hall, Executive Director of FOCI

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Rivers & Oceans

Canada’s not prepared to handle marine cargo spills, House committee finds

Canada’s National Observer, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

A parliamentary committee wants Ottawa to limit the environmental damage and plug response gaps for marine cargo spills after a container ship lost more than 100 sea cans and was immobilized by a stubborn fire on the B.C. coast last year. 

Continue reading Canada’s not prepared to handle marine cargo spills, House committee finds →
Rivers & Oceans

B.C. shellfish growers experiencing a watershed moment


National Observer, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Quadra Island oyster farmer Steve Pocock believes B.C.’s shellfish sector is facing a watershed moment. 

West Coast growers have endured a tough couple of years as the COVID-19 pandemic dried up demand from restaurants and international markets, and extreme temperatures in June cooked countless beach-grown oysters and clams alive in their shells.   

And now growers have another sink or swim dilemma — the need to change farming practices and tackle marine debris created by the shellfish sector, said Pocock, who is also president of the BC Shellfish Growers Association (BCSGA). 

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Waste

Southern Discovery Islands beach clean-up completed

The southern Discovery Islands beach clean-up is now finished.  

“The last truck load of debris left our yard this morning. So we’re now just into the final stages of cleaning up our own yard as a result of all the little styrofoam balls and things,” said Breanne Quesnel.

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Waste

Coastal communities ‘raise the alarm’ around marine debris

By Melissa Renwick, Ha-Shilth-Sa, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Tofino, BC – Around two weeks ago, Nicole Gervais said chunks of Styrofoam started washing ashore on the northern end of Long Beach, near the Tla-o-qui-aht First Nation community of Esowista on Vancouver Island.

Continue reading Coastal communities ‘raise the alarm’ around marine debris →