Westside : Heal the Bay to Sponsor Cleanup at 38 Beaches Today

Westside beaches are among those along the Los Angeles County coastline that will get their annual fall cleaning today during Coastal Cleanup Day.

Volunteers will be stooped over trash bags from Leo Carrillo State Beach in Malibu to Ballona Creek, separating mud and sand from debris, and on the lookout for the day’s most interesting finds.

In all, 38 beaches in the county, from Malibu to Long Beach, will be spruced up by the day’s end. The work begins at 9 a.m and ends about noon.

Cigarette butts make up most of the coastline garbage, which travels to the coast mostly via inland storm drains.

Last year’s cleanup effort yielded 62,000 pounds of garbage and 2,800 pounds of recyclable materials. Among the garbage collected were car parts, handguns, shopping carts, a kitchen sink and a wedding dress.

While 1995 marks the 11th year for the Coastal Cleanup, coordinated in Los Angeles County by the Heal the Bay organization, this year’s effort has a slightly different tone, said Lisa Crossley, Heal the Bay’s program manager.

Companies are contributing less money this year to Heal the Bay but instead are encouraging employees to participate in the cleanup.

For example, Crossley said, Bank of America is sending 200 volunteers to beautify Will Rogers State Beach in Pacific Palisades.

But the invitation is open to everyone, Crossley said.

“Just come out to the nearest beach,” she said.