Program Overview

Clean Shores is a statewide program that removes floatables such as wood, garbage, medical waste and recyclables from tidal shorelines with the use of state inmate labor. Since its inception in 1989, the program has removed over 119 million pounds of floatables and cleaned and re-cleaned over 2100 miles of New Jersey's shorelines (see below graph). The funding for the Clean Shores program comes entirely from the sale of the Shore Protection "Shore to Please" motor vehicle license plates.

	Miles of Beaches Cleaned and Pounds (in millions) of Floatables Removed per Year

	A Clean Shores work crew consists of 20 inmates, 2 state correctional officers, a site manager, and woodcutter provided by the NJDEP. The inmates have received special selection for outside work by the Department of Corrections and have full minimum status.  On average, the crew works a 5-hour day arriving on site at 7:30am and leaving at 12:30pm. The adjacent photos show an example of before and after a Clean Shores cleanup.
Before Clean Shores Cleanup		After Clean Shores Cleanup

Any municipality interested in sponsoring a cleanup is asked to provide roll off containers for the disposal of the removed floatables, a front end loader or dump truck with an operator for transporting the bulky wastes from the work crew to the roll off containers, a portable toilet, and a lunch for the inmates. The contracted cost incurred by the sponsoring municipality will be reimbursed by the Clean Shores program including the trucking and disposal of the cleaned floatables, the portable toilet and if municipal equipment is not available the rental costs for a front end loader.  The program cannot reimburse for the cost of the inmate food and, if any are needed, municipal employees and equipment. The Program does provide, at no cost to the municipality, the inmate work crew, Correction Officers, DEP supervision, and woodcutters.

Aircraft Surveillance for Floatables

New Jersey is the only coastal state that performs routine aircraft surveillance in order to detect the presence of floatables in its coastal waters.  The Department of Environmental Protection's plane flies along the State's coastline six days of each week during the summer months.  Staff on board the plane search the waters for floatables and report sightings to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).  When floatables are within reach of skimmer boats, EPA coordinates removal of the observed floatables with the Army Corps of Engineers. Check out "Floatables Impacts to NJ Beaches", a PDF of a PowerPoint presentation given on the floatables from August 23 to September 9, 2007.

Results

The Clean Shores Program has been an important part of New Jersey's commitment to protect its beaches and to protect public health.  Since the program's inception in 1989 there have only been three summers in which floatable debris has caused New Jersey beaches to close (see below graph).  While this is an impressive record, the Department is committed to continued refinements of the Clean Shores Program and to a goal of further reducing closures of New Jersey beaches due to floatable debris.

	NJ Beach Closings due to Floatable Waste vs. Number of Floatable Waste Incidents

If you would be interested in sponsoring a cleanup or would like more information on the program please contact Virginia Loftin at (609) 292-1623 or by email at Virginia.Loftin@dep.state.nj.us.