Cleanup Operation on Nakholmen

Scattered along the water's edge, equipped with gloves and each with their own trash bag, a group of volunteer cleaners scan the beach for litter. At first glance, it might not seem like they will need to work for very long before the area is free of waste, but a closer look reveals that this is far from the truth.

You have to crouch down to notice the multitude of small pieces of styrofoam, fishing nets, cotton swabs, and other plastics hiding among the seaweed, kelp, and vegetation.

– What is tricky with plastic is that it breaks down into smaller and smaller pieces into microplastics, explains Heidi Gromstad, responsible for cleanup at Hold Norway Rent.

Hold Norge Rent is an environmental foundation that receives support from, among others, the Norwegian Retailers' Environment Fund to conduct its important work in preventing littering and mobilizing volunteers.

Remarkable Findings

During the information presentation at the event, many have an eye-opener when Gromstad raises the topic of microplastics.

– It has been found, among other places, in blood, breast milk, and in the air. We do not yet know all the consequences of this, but what we do know is that it doesn't look promising, she explains.

Gromstad wants to show participants in the cleanup campaign that you don't have to go far to find trash to pick up. She says that most are shocked by how much trash can be found in nature once they become aware of it.

Nevertheless, she emphasizes that there is a lot one can do to counteract littering.

– For example, you can pick up a little plastic every day, bring a reusable cup when buying coffee, and avoid throwing trash in the toilet, as it often ends up in nature.

Additionally, she mentions that there are several cleanup campaigns one can participate in. She particularly highlights the national cleanup initiative Strandryddeuka, which this year lasts from September 13th - September 22nd.

Valuable Collaboration

The cleanup operation on Nakholmen is a collaboration between Hold Norge Rent and the company Tise, which is behind the reuse app of the same name. Sara Bahmanyar Sumstad, Advertising & Partner Manager at Tise, explains that their collaboration began during the Beach Cleanup Week in 2022, which was the first time they did a campaign together.

– We had been following the work of Hold Norge Rent for a while and reached out to see if we could do something together to help spread the message to even more people. And fortunately, they said yes!

Bahmanyar Sumstad states that they find that Tise users are very concerned about making better choices for the environment, and that is the engagement they reflect in the campaigns with Hold Norge Rent.

– For us at Tise, it is especially exciting when we can collaborate with partners who share the same values and make a difference in the work they do! We are proud to be able to contribute to increasing knowledge and changing attitudes together, she concludes.