•
BIDDEFORD, Maine

Nearly 400 pounds of trash removed from Camp Ellis by UNE students on International Coastal Cleanup Day

UNE students volunteered at Camp Ellis during International Coastal Cleanup Day
UNE students volunteered at Camp Ellis during International Coastal Cleanup Day

On Saturday, September 15, UNE students joined volunteers from across the United States and more than 100 countries to take part in International Coastal Cleanup Day.

Students boarded UNE’s R/V Sakohki boat behind the Biddeford Campus and made the short trip to Camp Ellis.

About 50 volunteers spent more than four hours cleaning up the beach, the jetty and a nearby parking lot.

“We filled up bag after bag of trash,” said organizer Kiara Ann Frischkorn (Marine Science, ’22). “It was shocking how such a small area could hold so much garbage. The most common things we found were broken glass, cigarette butts, plastic and fishing equipment.”

The volunteers collected nearly 400 pounds of trash.

“That really struck a nerve with me,” Frischkorn stated. “I can imagine all the animals that could have been harmed or entangled in that stuff. Protecting our oceans from trash is so important.”

Participants in the clean-up included School of Marine Programs faculty and staff and more than 45 UNE students, mostly volunteers from the Marine Learning Community, which encourages Marine Sciences students to more fully explore their area of study, and members of the Ocean Club, an organization that promotes and organizes marine science events.

“This was the first time I fully organized a clean-up event,” Frischkorn commented. “It was an amazing experience, and I can’t wait to plan more.”

The UNE School of Marine Programs donated boat time, gloves, and T-shirts to everyone who took part.

The UNE School of Marine Programs donated use of R/V Sakohki to take volunteers to the clean-up
The UNE School of Marine Programs donated use of R/V Sakohki to take volunteers to the clean-up
The clean-up netted nearly 400 pounds of trash from the beach, jetty and parking lot
The clean-up netted nearly 400 pounds of trash from the beach, jetty and parking lot
Volunteers picked up broken glass, cigarette butts, plastic and fishing equipment
Volunteers picked up broken glass, cigarette butts, plastic and fishing equipment

About the University of New England

The University of New England is Maine’s largest independent university, with two beautiful coastal campuses in Maine, a one-of-a-kind study abroad campus in Tangier, Morocco, and an array of flexible, accredited online degrees. In an uncommonly welcoming and supportive community, we offer hands-on learning, empowering students to make a positive impact in a world full of challenges. The state’s top provider of health professionals, we are home to Maine’s only medical college, Maine’s only dental college, a variety of other interprofessionally aligned health care degree programs, as well as nationally recognized programs for marine science degrees, natural and social sciences degrees, arts and humanities degrees, and business degrees.