More than 110kg of waste was collected from three beaches across Cyprus during three separate cleanup operations organised by the “Keep our Sand and Sea Plastic Free” project.

The cleanup operations took place at the Ayia Thekla beach near Ayia Napa, the Sodap beach in Paphos, and at the Skoutari beach in Protaras, with beach parties organised and competitions held to encourage participation, with winners taking home reusable buckets.

“Keep our Sand and Sea Plastic Free” project director Panagiota Koustofta was keen to point out that the average person “unintentionally consumes five grams of plastic per week”, which is about the same weight as a credit card.

“The plastic enters the food chain, affecting both marine life and our health. That is why this summer, we should be the change we want to see. For example, we can all visit beaches with our own reusable water bottle, and if the beach is also a plastic-free beach, we will also have access to free, chilled, and filtered water,” she said.

She added that her project aims to involve tourists, tourism businesses, and local residents in reducing the use of single-use plastics on beaches, with the overall goal of there being less plastic in the sea.

Cyprus sustainable tourism initiative (CSTI) chairman Philippos Drousiotis pointed out the “importance of the cooperation of all involved” in the tourism industry, including beachgoers, “to achieve our goal, which is to have beaches and seas without plastics.”