Volunteers will start clean-up beaches across the island this Sunday in a summer campaign to promote environmental consciousness in an effort to reduce sea pollution.

The Wish You Were Clean beach clean-up campaign will take place for the third year, and will run until September at four different beaches across the island.

The aim of the campaign is to eliminate waste from the coasts as well as to raise public awareness to reduce pollution in seas and coasts, organisers said.

There is a “huge problem” of plastic waste in coastal areas, especially single-use plastic, which impacts both marine ecosystems and human health.

“Recent research publications have indicated alarming results where micro plastic particles have been detected for the first time in human blood,” an announcement said.

It added that the campaign aims to “promote volunteering, collectivity, respect for nature and the joy we get from giving back to the environment”.

The campaign is co-organised by Young Cyprus Greens, Ecological Movement Cyprus Centre for Social Innovation and RESET – Research and Education in Social Empowerment and Transformation.

The clean-up schedule includes Famagusta’s Ayia Thekla Beach with the clean-up scheduled for 9am on June 26, Larnaca Mazotos at 9am on July 10, Limassol Lady’s Mile Beach, at 9am on August 28 and Paphos Lara Beach, at 10am on September 3.

For more information, email [email protected] or call 22 518074.