Primary and Secondary School – Education Activity

Objectives

• Conduct ocean conservation with actual practice
• Find out the severity and impact of waste pollution in nature with firsthand engagement
• Provide field experience in beach waste data collection and learn about the types of beach waste
• Reflect on the environmental impact of personal behaviour

Reference and Resources

• Beach Waste Datasheet (Available at “Downloads”)
• Refer to Chapter 2.3 The Environmental Impact of Plastics and Chapter 2.4 Microplastics

Content / Steps

Beach Cleanup Activity and Beach Waste Audit (Read How to organise a beach cleanup activity? for details)

Further discussion / activities

• What is the most common waste from the beach cleanup? What is the most unusual waste?
• Is there any waste from places outside Hong Kong (refer to the language on the packaging)? How did it come to Hong Kong?
• Is the beach pollution problem serious? What is its impact on the environment?
• Why is the beach covered in waste? How to reduce beach waste?
• What would you do to reduce beach waste?

Date

• ✓   Choose low tide period
• ✓   Tidal height should not be greater than between 1.1 to 1.4 metres^
  

Where to look for tidal information?

Step One：Go to the Hong Kong Observatory webpage – Predicted Tides

Step Two：Look up tidal predictions according to your activity date

The red dots on the map are available for tidal predictions. Tidal information for the activity location may refer to the nearest point on the map that faces the same direction within the same region.
‍
Example (1)
Selected To Tau Wan in Ma On Shan for a cleanup → The closest red dot to To Tau Wan on the map in the same region and facing same direction is Tai Po Kau → Click on Tai Po Kau to view tidal predictions. Its tidal height is the one for To Tau Wan.
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Example (2)
Selected Ha Pak Nai in Yuen Long for a cleanup → The closest red dot to Ha Pak Nai on the map in the same region and facing same direction is Tsim Bei Tsui → Click on Tsim Bei Tsui for tidal predictions. Its tidal height is the one for Ha Pak Nai.

Step Three：Find the tidal height of your activity’s date and time
Location and Month (Blue Box) / Date (Red Box) / Time and Tide Height (Green Box)

Example (1)
To Tau Wan, Ma On Shan; Activity Time 3:00pm – 5:00pm

Tidal height at 3:00pm is 1.5 m; Tidal height at 5:00pm is 0.61 m → Suitable for a beach cleanup

Example (2)
Ha Pak Nai, Yuen Long; Activity Time 3:00pm – 5:00pm

Tidal height at 3:00pm is 2.2 m; Tidal height at 5:00pm is 1.4 m → Unsuitable for a beach cleanup

※ Note: The tidal forecast from the Observatory may differ from the actual tide of the day, especially before or after inclement weather conditions (e.g. after a typhoon), when predictions and observations may show a greater discrepancy.

Location

• ✓  Non-gazetted Beaches

  • The non-gazetted beaches have more garbage which are more suitable for cleanups. As for gazetted beaches, they are generally cleaner due to regular cleaning by government departments. However, some larger gazetted beaches with both swimming and non-swimming areas can also be suitable for cleanups, such as the non-swimming zone of Shek O beach.

• ✓  Wind Direction
  

  • Wind plays a significant role in carrying marine garbage to the coast. Tracking the wind direction can lead to areas with more garbage.
  • Hong Kong’s weather is under the sway of monsoons. Spring monsoon blows from the east, summer monsoon blows from the southwest, autumn and winter monsoon blows from the northeast. Thus, it is more ideal to choose eastward-facing coasts in spring, southward-facing coasts in summer and northward-facing coasts in autumn and winter as there should be more garbage.

Time

✓  Safer before sunset (especially in winter when sun sets early)

Things to Bring

• ✓  Gloves
• ✓  Tongs
• ✓  Garbage Bags
• ✓  Scissors
• ✓  Portable weighing scale
• ✓  Emergency Kits
• ✓  Beach Waste Datasheet (Available at “Download”)

Waste Handling

• ✓  Sorting
  

  • Beach waste is generally dirtier with more impurities (e.g. plastic and glass bottles have dirt stuck on their surface). These are not suitable for recycling!

• ✓  Seal the garbage bags
  

  • To prevent waste from spilling out from the garbage bags or being blown away on the beach while it is waiting for collection.

• ✓  Proper Disposal
  

  • General waste can be dropped off at nearby refuse collection point.
  • Cleaner recyclables can be deposited at nearby recycling bins in the countryside or brought to GREEN@COMMUNITY recycling point.
  • When the need arises, contact the FEHD in advance to arrange for the refuse collection point.