Sea Cleaners remove 300,000 litres of rubbish from Tauranga waterways

Josh and Tayla, volunteers at Sea Cleaners BOP. Photo / Josh Malmo

Almost 300,000 litres of rubbish has been removed from Tauranga waterways in nine months.

Sea Cleaners is a national not-for-profit that launched its operations in the Bay of Plenty at the start of this year with a mission of removing rubbish from the sea, harbour, and ocean.

In Tauranga, the mahi is led by skipper Josh Malmo and his deckhand, Tayla Hopkins.

Armed with their trusty transport and a can-do attitude, they hit the waterways daily to haul debris.

“We’ve just got a ute and a boat, and we take off around the region and do our thing,” Malmo said.

One of the most common and stubborn items they found? Tyres.

“It’s phenomenal how many we find,” he said.

Volunteers played a huge role in the clean-ups, Malmo said.

“Our lives are just so much easier with volunteers.

“More hands mean we can cover more ground. Without them, you’re walking away from piles of rubbish you just don’t have time to get to.”

Two regulars, Sharon Houghton and Andrea Cini, were part of a wider network of volunteers who showed up to lend a hand.

Behind the scenes with the team / Photo Supplied

Since launching in the Bay of Plenty nine months ago, Malmo and Hopkins said they had already hauled out close to 300,000 litres of rubbish.

Sea Cleaners also visited schools, teaching tamariki about the impact of rubbish and the big difference small actions could make.

The mahi was not glamorous, and the same beaches often needed clearing again within weeks.

Sea Cleaners inspiring local tamariki toward a cleaner future. Photo / Josh Malmo

But Malmo keeps perspective: “I speak for myself and across the country, I’m really proud of our work and where we are at.”

The large volumes of rubbish were cleared thanks to support not just from volunteers, but from other local and national organisations.

“Bridge Marina, for example, lets us put our boat in, and other local groups help in lots of small ways,” Malmo said.

“There’s just so many contributing factors — little bits of support that aren’t only sponsors but make a huge difference.”

Sea Cleaners are on the lookout for more volunteers to join their mission of cleaning up coastlines and waterways — no maritime experience required.

Learn more at www.volunteeringservices.org.nz or call (07) 987 0920.