Sustainable beach cleaning involves limiting the use of mechanical equipment to collect waste on the beaches. To this end, the seaside resorts of Royan Atlantique have adapted their cleaning operations. In this way, they protect this vibrant natural environment, teeming with life, depending on the time of year.
A territory committed to a sustainable approach
Beaches are spaces for leisure, relaxation, and activities. They are also a gateway to the sea. They are also fragile environments harboring remarkable biodiversity . In an effort to offer visitors a "clean" beach, mechanical cleaning has been widely practiced along our coastline. However, these machines indiscriminately collect seaweed and debris, and sometimes significant quantities of sand. This practice has negative consequences for the environment: loss of biodiversity, accelerated erosion, and more. Furthermore, this method of cleaning makes waste processing difficult.
This is why manual cleaning is preferred in winter . It helps to maintain the wrack line on the beaches. Selectively cleaning the beaches, collecting only waste resulting from human activities, helps to protect this wrack line.
To remain “alive” over the long term, the beach needs the sea line.
The term "strandline" refers to the natural debris torn from the seabed (algae, seagrass, driftwood, small crustaceans, etc.) and deposited on beaches when the tide goes out. These natural deposits contribute to the balance of beaches and are beneficial to our coastal ecosystems. They are not waste!
How important is the sea line?
The sea line is an ecosystem necessary for coastal life. She permits :
- for birds to nest (they come and lay their eggs there) and to protect themselves (refuge)
- to find food (animal remains or “sea fleas”). If the sea line is not preserved, certain species will disappear
- to fight against erosion (by establishing itself, the vegetation will retain the sand). In fact, decomposing organic matter enriches the soil, thus promoting the development of plants (such as oyat).
Preserving beaches with tide tanks
During storms, human waste (plastics, cigarette butts, fishing nets, etc.) often mixes with these natural elements and pollutes them. To allow everyone to contribute to preserving the environment by collecting waste washed up on our beaches, seaside resorts have installed "tide bins ." These collectors, specifically designed for waste washed ashore by high tides , allow beachgoers to do their part by collecting this debris carried by the sea. To find out which Royan Atlantique beaches have tide bins, consult the map: bacamaree.fr
Sustainable cleaning: Zero cigarette butts on our beaches
To protect nature, we must curb pollution on our beaches and in our ocean. Our Tourist Information Offices provide beach ashtrays for the public . Indeed, despite its small size, a cigarette butt is an environmental disaster. A single cigarette butt can pollute 500 liters of water and take up to 12 years to decompose! Since 2021, the Community Tourist Office has taken its sustainable development approach a step further . It offers beach ashtrays made from recycled plastic and oyster shell powder. Everyone can contribute to a clean beach!
