Problematic debris on the coast SOLVed by beach cleanup

FLORENCE, Ore. --  In the wake of all the tsunami debris that hit the coast earlier this year, some volunteers at the annual SOLV Beach Cleanup expected this year to be different.

Started back in 1984, SOLV gives volunteers a chance to clean sites along the Oregon coast. Over 200 SOLV volunteers came out for the clean up Saturday, combing nearly 100 different sites along the coastline.

For those coming out in hopes of finding some unique tsunami debris from japan may have been disappointed by what they found.

"Earlier in the year there was quite a bit more. Because of the summer season the wave action is more calm and we haven’t seen a lot of tsunami debris in the last month." explained Russel Wymore, a SOLV Volunteer.

Many of the regular SOLV volunteers found that the beach was unusually clean. This is because so much was done in the previous months to remove tsunami debris.

Ocean Shores Ranger Trisha Wymore said that this effort has made the coastal environment safer for birds and other wildlife that are put at risk by litter.

"The small pieces. That’s what the birds and other wildlife eat and they can't digest these items. Their bellies can fill with that and then they can starve to death." Trisha Wymore said.

To find out more about how to get involved in the annual clean up effort visit SOLV’s website.