107 kg of trash removed on Lamma beaches as youth join police on litter patrol

A collaboration was formed between the Police College and secondary school students that went on a beach cleaning mission after the recent typhoon. 

The mission was also joined hands with the Marine Police Mentorship Program, the Yau Tsim Police District and Project Gemstone - a scheme to assist non-ethnic Chinese Junior Police Call members to improve Chinese language proficiency, fitness, and leadership training as well as personality development through activities - an officer noted. 

About 100 people arrived on the small beach of Mo Tat Wan on a ferry with two police boats around 9.30 am this morning (Saturday) in a big drive to clean up the beaches of Lamma Island. 

After a short briefing, they headed across South Lamma to Yung Shue Ha. 

The team spread out across the beaches of Tung O, Yung Shue Ha and Shek Pai Wan gathering around 107 kg of trash in total, roughly averaging a kilo per person. 

The clean-up was also an effort to encourage secondary school students’ interest in joining the police force and to do something great for the community, a source said. 

Bad weather and typhoons tend to wash up discarded plastic waste and styrofoam boxes along with discarded fishing items such as nets.  Beaches can sometimes be seen plastered in waste having a detrimental impact on local wildlife. 

Single-use plastic ware will be banned by the Legislative Council, coming into effect on April 22 next year, in hopes of a plastic free culture.