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News Advisory
RI Department of Environmental Management
235 Promenade Street, Providence, RI 02908
(401) 222-2771 TDD/(401) 222-4462
FOR AP AND METRO NEWS DAYBOOKS:
Date: July 31, 2008

Time:

 11:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., weather permitting
Location: Conimicut Beach, Warwick (Intersection of Symonds & Shawomet Avenues)
Event: DEM, City of Warwick to Conduct Seaweed Cleanup on Conimicut Beach in Warwick Using a Barber Sea Rake and Tractor

For Release:

 July 30, 2008
Contact: Gail Mastrati 222-4700 ext. 2402

DEM, CITY OF WARWICK TO CONTINUE JOINT EFFORT TO REMOVE SEA LETTUCE WASHING ASHORE ON CONIMICUT BEACH
DEM Says that More Seaweed Has Been Removed from State Shorelines Thus Far This Year Than in Previous Years

PROVIDENCE - The Department of Environmental Management, in a joint effort with the City of Warwick, will continue to remove and dispose of sea lettuce that has washed ashore on Conimicut Beach on Thursday, July 31, beginning at 11:30 a.m. The cleanup is part of an ongoing operation to prevent hydrogen sulfide odors in seaweed-prone shoreline areas such as Conimicut, Stillhouse Cove in Cranston, and Riverside Terrace in East Providence.

Using a Barber Surf Rake and tractor, staff from DEM's Office of Emergency Response will drive the beach cleaner along the shoreline and remove the sea lettuce that has collected above the low tide line. The Warwick Department of Public Works will dispose of the material.

Sea lettuce, or Ulva lactuca, is green algae that lives near and below the low tide mark. When it becomes stranded on the shore, it can form large mats. As these mats decay they can produce a foul, rotten egg odor. Once the sea lettuce begins to decompose, it becomes gelatinous and is nearly impossible to remove. There is then little that can be done to eliminate the foul odors.

The cooperative agreement between DEM and the City of Warwick is an example of how agencies can work together to avert a potential odor problem from occurring. Last year, in response to encouragement from DEM to adopt a similar approach to preventing seaweed-related odors, public works departments from the cities of Cranston and East Providence made similar agreements with DEM regarding seaweed removal.

To date, through cleanup efforts that began in early June, more than 104 cubic yards of seaweed have been removed from RI shorelines including 22 cubic yards from the Conimicut area of Warwick and 82 cubic yards from the Riverside Terrace area of East Providence, and an unknown volume from Stillhouse Cove in Cranston, as this cleanup effort is underway today.

In addition to the efforts of the waterfront municipalities, waterfront property owners, members of neighborhood associations and civic groups, and other interested residents can also help keep the waterfront fresh and odor-free by removing sea lettuce. When the tides deposit sea lettuce along the waterfront, residents can gather it up using a rake and gloves, and deposit it in yard waste bags. Homeowners should put the filled bags out with the trash for pick up. For larger pickups, residents should call the local public works departments in advance to arrange for pickup of the yard waste bags.

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For General Information 222-6800 • After Hours Emergencies 222-3070 • Disclaimer