Kia Ireland will return as the official sponsor of the Big Beach Clean 2026 which takes place from 18-20 September across Ireland, writes Trish Whelan. Last year, over 60 tons of litter were removed from Irish beaches and waterways by almost 11,000 volunteers from more than 500 organised clean-ups.
The Big Beach Clean is part of the International Coastal Cleanup (ICC) and invites volunteers from across ireland to remove litter from coastal areas and inland waterways at the end of the bathing season. The data collected from this campaign is part of a worldwide citizen science project that aims to heighten awareness about the issue of marine litter and help to shape future policies in this area.
Registrations are now open for this year’s event and Kia are encouraging as many people as possible to sign up for their local beach clean at cleancoasts.org.
On a global level, Kia continues to support the Ocean Cleanup, an organisation with a long-term aim of removing 90% of floating ocean plastic worldwide by 2040. In addition to using recycled materials in vehicle production, Kia also explores ways for collected plastic waste to be recycled and reused and have recently launched a boot liner accessory which contains 40% recycled ocean plastic.
Looking forward to another big turnout this year for the annual Big Beach Clean, Bronagh Moore, An Taisce’s Clean Coasts Manager, commented: “Every piece of litter collected and recorded during the cleanup is vital for raising awareness and driving meaningful policy changes to protect our oceans. Small actions, when multiplied by many, can have a huge impact. We encourage everyone, no matter your location, to get involved and record your findings. By working together, we will create a tangible and lasting impact on ocean health.”
Bronagh Moore, Clean Coasts Programme Manager; and Cathal Kealey, Head of Marketing and PR at Kia Ireland, are pictured at Big Beach Clean launch in Rosslare recently.
