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The Government's Inter-departmental Working Group on Clean Shorelines and Sheung Shui Government Secondary School jointly held a Shorelines Cleanup Day at Wu Kai Sha, Sha Tin, today (July 26) to promote the message of keeping the shorelines clean.
About a dozen students and teachers gathered at Wu Kai Sha to sort and systematically record the types of refuse collected, according to guidelines provided by the Environmental Protection Department (EPD). The participants were keen to help keep the shorelines clean and to learn more about the importance of protecting the marine environment. A total of 30.2 kilograms of refuse was collected, most of which was disposable plastic. The participating students suggested that people should not use disposable items, thus reducing waste at source to help keep the shorelines clean. The Assistant Principal of Sheung Shui Government Secondary School said that the school supported this meaningful event, through which the students could play a part in serving the community while also having fun on the beach.
An EPD spokesman said that citizens should treasure their beautiful shorelines, which provide popular destinations for relaxation during the hot summer as well as an essential habitat for wildlife.
The spokesman added, "The Working Group co-organises Shorelines Cleanup Day with schools and community groups to enable participants to learn about protecting the marine environment. Today's activity is the Working Group's fifth joint clean-up event with schools and community groups since April 2015."
The Government set up the Inter-departmental Working Group in November 2012 to review and formulate measures to further improve the cleanliness of our shorelines. Information on Shorelines Cleanup Day is available on the Clean Shorelines website at www.epd.gov.hk/epd/clean_shorelines/index.html. Those interested in co-organising the clean-up events can visit the website for more details.
Ends/Sunday, July 26, 2015
Issued at HKT 16:23
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