"World Wetlands Day" Lagoon clean up Saturday February 7th 2009
EPIC, St. Maarten Pride Foundation, St. Maarten members of the Emerging Global Leaders Program, St. Maarten Academy students and staff members of Saratoga Restaurant carried out a very successful joint clean-up of the area of the Simpson Bay Lagoon adjacent to Saratoga restaurant on Saturday February 7th 2009.
The area cleaned by volunteers was covered in a large amount of algae. These ecologically harmful algal blooms are the result of an excess of nutrients in the lagoon caused by overflowing septic tanks, overflowing sewage systems and free flowing untreated sewage which enters the Lagoon from surrounding districts and boats. Aside from algae, volunteers removed soda cans, bottles, countless cigarette butts, sanitary material, Styrofoam, plastic bags and a variety of other garbage from the lagoon.