Richmond Business Community Clear Trash from Richmond Shorelines

Richmond, BC – On the morning of Saturday, September 14^th, Richmond business community members rolled up their sleeves and got to work, clearing trash and debris from two locations: Nelson Road Beach and River Road Shoreline.

The Shoreline Clean-up was a joint initiative organized by the Richmond Chamber of Commerce, Platinum Pro-Claim Restoration, and 505-Junk with the aim to create a positive impact on the environment by fostering awareness and action towards preserving the natural beauty of our beloved Richmond coastline and keeping debris out of our waterways.

“It feels great to get out there, get dirty, and clear debris from Richmond’s shorelines! I’m always stoked to team up with awesome community partners like 505-Junk and the Richmond Chamber of Commerce. This is our 8th annual shoreline cleanup, and every year I’m more impressed with the turnout and the impact we’re making in restoring our community and the planet. It’s just so rewarding!” said Jamie Madill, Director of Sustainability at Platinum Pro-Claim Restoration.

Barry Hartman, the Co-Founder & CEO of 505-Junk echoed the sentiment, “this annual shoreline cleanup is a powerful reminder of the strength of our community. It is one of our favourite events of the year and greatly benefits our environment. Our partnership with the Richmond Chamber of Commerce and Platinum Pro-Claim Restoration fosters a sense of shared purpose and responsibility for our environment. Thank you to all our volunteers who came out in the rain on Saturday to help clean our waterways.”

While the Richmond Chamber organizes about 60 events every year, Chamber CEO, Shaena Furlong says “this Shoreline Clean Up is really something special for us. It’s powerful to bring people together outside of the traditional business environment to roll up our sleeves and really make a tangible difference. Our partners in Platinum Pro-Claim Restoration and 505-Junk have really been visionaries in making this event a success - their expertise on waste diversion is invaluable. Richmond is an island community. Our shorelines are precious. I’m very grateful to the many volunteers who gave up their Saturday morning to keep our shores beautiful.”

Over 4,500 lbs of waste were taken off the shoreline and then sorted, including 1,100 lbs of metal that was successfully diverted. Some of the finds included an old truck canopy, a burnt safe, a TV, bottles, cans, lawn furniture, and a full car engine.

Volunteers also removed a significant amount of styrofoam and discarded fishing "ghost" gear, along with some of the most harmful shoreline pollutants – open-cell foam floats, which break down into microplastics and severely contribute to ocean pollution.

This significant achievement was made possible by the dedication of over 60 volunteers and community partners.

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The Richmond Chamber of Commerce is a broad-based non-profit membership association, celebrating over 90 years of commitment to make Richmond the most prosperous and favourable place to do business.