ABOUT 200 volunteers participated in a beach clean-up event in Pangkor Island earlier this month.

The volunteers were from local communities and students who gathered at Kampung PPRT Hujung Kelawai to spend their Saturday morning in the massive gotong-royong.

The event was organised by the Global Environment Centre (GEC), together with the District Land Office, Perak Drainage and Irrigation Department, Manjung district council, SWCorp and Perak Tourism.

The event was held in partnership with Vale Malaysia and University of Queensland Australia and it was part of an ongoing community-based waste management project in Pangkor Island, which is currently being executed by GEC and its partners.

The volunteers scoured the beach for an hour-and-a-half, collecting more than five bags full of rubbish mainly consisting of plastic bottles, styrofoam materials and plastic packaging items.

These items were a direct threat to shorebirds and marine life in the water.

GEC project coordinator Dr Kalithasan Kailasam said because these are lightweight, plastic can easily end up on the streets, in drains and in waterways.

He said littering is a behavioural issue and emphasised on implementing a long-term educational campaign to change the attitude.

The participants also sorted the rubbish into recyclable and non-recyclable items and were given hands-on training on the correct manner to dispose of the recyclables at home.

In addition, the participants planted 20 trees to beautify the area.

Vale Malaysia country manager Andre Kopperschmidt said the company was very happy to be part of the activity for a good cause.

?I believe that this should not be a one-off activity, because all of us must do our part daily to dispose of waste responsibly and recycle to keep our environment clean,? he added.

Manjung district council officer Mohamad Fariz Mohamad Hanip said the activity was in line with the ambition of the council to make Pangkor Island clean and eco-friendly.

?We thank the local community for their willingness to participate and Vale Malaysia and GEC for their support in implementing the community-based waste management project,? he added.

The event also saw the launch of Pangkor Island River Map, which can be used as a tool to identify potential locations for eco-tourism activities.