COPENHAGEN, Sept. 3 (Xinhua) -- Volunteers who help keep Danish beaches free of plastic and other waste material will be able to apply for money from Sept. 3, Danish Environment Ministry announced on Tuesday.
The government has allocated over 500,000 U.S. dollars and placed it in a grant pool where applicants can apply for financial help to subsidize their beach clean-up activities. The money is for volunteer work beginning next year.
Anyone, from private citizens to national associations, can apply for the new beach cleaning grant, up to a maximum of 75,000 U.S. dollars.
"Plastic is a threat to our nature and the environment...That is why I am happy today to be able to give an extra hand and provide grants to volunteers cleaning our beaches," said Environment Minister Lea Wermelin.
Grants can be used for such things as garbage bags, rental of premises, all types of equipment that can be used for waste collection, information activities and even catering at major volunteer beach clean-ups.
The beach cleaning grant is yet another in a continuing series of the initiative taken by Denmark's Social Democrat government following its recent declaration to reduce plastic pollution and plastic overuse in Denmark by 70 percent before 2030.
