Shoreline Cleanups Are Making Waves Of Change

When someone says the words “shoreline cleanup” to you, the first image that comes to mind may be of large-scale events in third-world countries where piles of garbage build up on beaches, or are dumped into rivers by corporations. However, Kingstonians and Queen’s students litter too, without an understanding of just how deep of an impact it can have.

We don’t think much about the pollution of the Great Lakes or just how many animals and people it affects. The lakes are a freshwater source, separated from the global oceans. It’s easy to leave a beer can behind after partying at the pier or toss a cigarette butt because the nearest place to dispose of it properly is too far to walk. Most students don’t think about the long-term effects of mindless littering and improper disposal on the cleanliness and safety of our water systems, seafood, and stunning Kingston beaches.

The benefits of cleaning up our shores:

• Protection of Kingston’s marine life. On a walk along the beach, it is easy to spot numerous dead fish partially decomposed on the shoreline. Whether they died of natural causes or not, it is almost inevitable that they have some level of microplastic accumulation in their bodies. One study of fish species sourced from Lake Ontario found 138 ± 231 anthropogenic particles per fish, with up to 1,508 particles in one fish. Think of the great seafood you’ve recently eaten at one of Kingston’s beachside diners, and think about how a casually tossed plastic water bottle may be making its way back into what you eat. A recent study from Ghent University in Belgium found that people who eat seafood consume an average of 11,000 tiny plastic particles each year. 

• There are numerous aesthetic benefits to having a clean shoreline, too. Visiting Gord Edgar Downie Pier on a beautiful summer day to go for a swim in the lake is a highlight of the Queen’s experience, and swimming next to a floating beer bottle or over top of sunken tires and shopping carts is a fun experience for no one. Spending time by the beach has proven psychological benefits, raising mental well-being and contributing to positive mood outlook, restorative psychological effects, and a strengthened environmental citizenship. Next time you leave a hard midterm, consider walking down to the beach with a garbage bag and gloves and appreciate how much litter there is, and how much individual efforts help out.

• Even picking up the smallest waste products can have a big impact. Did you know that tobacco products produce waste that contains over 7,000 toxic chemicals, including known human carcinogens? Cigarette butts that are tossed on shorelines cause a never-ending cycle of harm. Their toxins are shown to leak into the soil and are taken up by plants where they eventually enter the food chain, leak chemicals into the lakes and oceans, and dirty up shorelines. One cigarette butt contaminates up to 1000 litres of water. Cigarette butts also contribute to the microplastics in our oceans. Every smoked cigarette filter contains 15,000 strands of microplastic fibres. 

More than 40 million people across the US and Canada rely on the Great Lakes for clean drinking water, including 30% of Canada’s population. Let’s keep our lakes clean.

Are there disadvantages to shoreline cleanups?

That depends on how you look at it. Shoreline cleanup can be seen as a temporary solution to a bigger problem. However, the constant involvement of communities could be just what we need. Polluted shorelines are a constant problem, and what better way to combat that than keeping communities involved, interested, and passionate? Although the statistics surrounding it can be discouraging, even the smallest efforts are making a difference. While shoreline cleanups are dependent on volunteer involvement, time, and money, the involvement of sponsors and government officials can assist communities with accessing these resources. Bringing these cleanups to a larger scale creates a bigger impact on ocean conservation. There is, of course, the concern that, when done incorrectly, shoreline cleanups can disrupt the natural environment. However, this is an easy fix. It is important to make sure you are doing research and approaching delicate environments with care when conducting shoreline cleanups. 

What Queen’s students are doing to help: 

After Foco, Queen’s students who are passionate about saving our oceans gathered together to participate in a shoreline cleanup. Walking along Gord Edgar Downie Pier, they picked up alcohol cans, trash, and cigarette butts left behind after a weekend of partying. By committing just an hour of their time, they were able to remove multiple trash bags full of pollutants that would have otherwise sat there contaminating the lake. Student involvement is a great way to keep our campus looking clean and beautiful! 

What the Kingston community is doing to help:

On September 28th, volunteers gathered at Richardson Beach and Confederation Park for the first-ever Great Lakes Coastal Clean-up. Kingston was joined by community members from five other cities, and together over 400kg of litter was collected along the shoreline. Neptune & Salacia Diving captured floating debris and below-water items, including 40 tires and over 1,000kg of debris. By involving a larger community and sponsors, this shoreline cleanup was able to make a much bigger impact. 

Shoreline cleanups have proven to be a great way for communities to be proactive. Although it doesn’t seem like much, taking an hour or two out of your day can bring us one step closer to cleaner oceans. It is impossible to protect our lakes and oceans with just one law or just one person. It is going to take passionate communities all over the world to make a lasting impact. 

Resources: 

Milne, M. H., Helm, P. A., Munno, K., Bhavsar, S. P., & Rochman, C. M. (2024). Microplastics and Anthropogenic Particles in Recreationally Caught Freshwater Fish from an Urbanized Region of the North American Great Lakes. Environmental Health Perspectives, 132(7). https://doi.org/10.1289/ehp13540

Great Lakes. (2025). Retrieved November 2, 2025, from Noaa.gov website: https://coast.noaa.gov/states/fast-facts/great-lakes.html

Cigarette Butts: Toxic Plastic Pollution | OceanCare. (2023, August 3). Retrieved November 2, 2025, from OceanCare website: https://www.oceancare.org/en/stories_and_news/cigarette-butts-pollution/

Kingston community protects local shoreline and waterway during first-ever Great Lakes Coastal Clean-up event | City of Kingston. (2025). Retrieved November 2, 2025, from City of Kingston website: https://www.cityofkingston.ca/news/posts/kingston-community-protects-local-shoreline-and-waterway-during-first-ever-great-lakes-coastal-clean-up-event/

Ocean. (2020, October 26). Do Beach Cleanups Really Make A Difference? Retrieved November 2, 2025, from Environmental Nonprofit Organization website: https://oceanblueproject.org/do-beach-cleanups-really-make-a-difference/