The sixth iteration of the Clean Coast (0+) eco event, initiated and organized by the Russian Fishery Company (RFC), ended last weekend with a large-scale cleanup on the coast of Shchitovaya Bay. RFC staff cleaned up the beach after the latest summer vacation season, and the sorted trash was sent off for recycling. The weather was especially sunny, and the people taking part in the marathon's culmination not only helped nature, but also competed with one another, showing off their agility and ingenuity.
The Clean Coast environmental project has been enjoying great success in Vladivostok since 2020. At the time of its inception, the Russian Fishery Company, which stands behind various charitable programs, including a water preservation initiative, organized the first weekend cleanup in Shchitovaya Bay. Since then, environmental events have been held on the RFC’s sponsored territory every year, in the spring and fall.
This way, the popular recreation spot retains its appeal to residents and tourists throughout the summer, and all the trash collected there gets a second life.
“For a company that operates at sea, biological resource conservation and a clean environment are issues of key importance. As part of our work, we use natural resources as carefully as possible—so that they are still available to future generations. We are here today because we love nature and want to take care of it, within our field and beyond. May the Clean Coast project remain a long-lasting and cherished tradition. Thanks to everyone who joins us and brings along their children! Let's keep at it,”
The event, as always, included a competitive component. Before getting started, the cleanup participants split into five teams: RFC, Little Octopuses, Heart, Bridge, and Children’s Day. Then each team got creative, assembling into a living sculpture that was mean to embody their love for the nature of their native land. This assignment set a positive tone for the entire day. Immediately following the presentation, RFC staff enthusiastically began cleaning up the beach.
“The purpose of our campaign is right there in its name—we want the coast to be clean. The big dream is to have every beach in Primorsky Krai looking well-maintained, so we start with ourselves. Our campaign has been around for several years, and we see dual value in it. First, it’s about helping nature, and second, it’s about team building. Our employees come together for a common cause. Every season, the campaign attracts a huge number of participants, and we hope that next season, there will be even more,”
Many employees came to the event with their families. The kids quickly got the hang of trash collection, and once they did, there was no stopping them.
“I’m here today with my two beautiful daughters, Marina and Alina. We regularly attend these community cleanups with the girls—they take the initiative themselves. Today they collected several bags of trash—they found paper, glass bottles, tin cans, even a toothbrush. To keep our region and our lives in order, we need to start small, for example, with one clean beach. That’s why we are here today,”
Tatiana Bigailiuk also came with her children, Anna and Ilya. She believes that environmental conscientiousness should be instilled into children from a young age. Therefore, the Bigailiuk family takes care of nature all year round—even outside the Clean Coast campaign. Experienced as the family members are, sorting trash was no challenge to them.
“We have a separate container for plastic trash next to our house. Plus, we keeping collecting bottle caps for charity. And, of course, I teach my kids to throw trash only where it belongs. We joined the Clean Coast campaign for the first time this spring, and now it’s hard to stop. My husband is away on a work trip, but even so, his coworkers and I are here. We often vacation in Shchitovaya Bay, which makes getting rid of all the trash on the beach so gratifying,"
As per tradition, the fur babies came along to support this large-scale eco marathon too. For example, little Donny was quite enthusiastic about finding trash, according to his proud owner, RFC Financial Director Aleksander Sokolov. He and his four-legged friend quickly filled garbage bags with plastic and even unearthed some interesting “artefacts.”
“The most common item was probably plastic. We also collected a lot of metal today. We found old, rusty grills and chairs. Our RFC team had a special approach: each of us was responsible for finding a specific type of trash, allowing us to sort it while we were still collecting it. I make sure to sort trash at home too,”
Once the old tires and dozens of bags were loaded into the garbage truck, it was time for team-building games. Adults and children eagerly joined in the challenges: assembling words from letters, throwing balls into baskets, and seeing who could throw a frisbee the furthest. The most dexterous contestants got both a mood boost and prizes. The winning team, Little Octopuses, was celebrated for successfully beating the different competition checkpoints. However, the Bridge team did the best job with cleanup—its members collected and sorted the highest quantities of trash.
For reference, the Russian Fishery Company has also been installing installs garbage containers throughout its sponsored territory, along with notice boards that urge people to take better care of the environment. After the cleanups, RFC monitors the entire processing chain for the collected trash—from sorting and transportation to recycling. In addition, the Clean Coast project includes a set of activities aimed at environmental education.
