APOA’s beach trash can program is back in full swing, but holes on the beach remain a problem

The Avon Property Owners Association’s (APOA) Operation Clean Beach Program is back in full swing for the 2023 season, but holes left behind on the beach have become a growing concern when it comes to regular trash collection.

Through the program, (which has been going strong for more than 15 years), the APOA stations 75 trash cans along the beach in the village of Avon, as both a service for visitors, and as a way to keep the shoreline clean during the peak season.

The contractor drives along the beach and collects trash and discarded beach gear from the trash cans 2-3 times per week, and hauls it from the beach to a dumpster located on N.C. Highway 12 in Avon.

Trash collection typically occurs on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays from Memorial Day Weekend through Labor Day Weekend, and sometimes cans are removed from the beach before high tide events, like major storms.

“We are fortunate to have our same contractor as last year, so we had a fairly smooth start,” stated Terry Ponton of the APOA, noting that because of the beach nourishment project that was conducted in the summer of 2022, the route is easier to navigate. “With a new stretch of nourished beach, we don’t foresee the issues we had last season with little to no access north of the pier, depending on the tide.”

The only issue that has been prevalent so far this summer has been holes left behind on the shoreline.

“It certainly can impact our contractor’s ability to do his job,” said Ponton, adding that the contractor already encountered an incident that bent the steering column on his truck. “Luckily, he had a [mechanic] who was willing to stay very late to fix the vehicle so he could get back to the beach.”

Leaving holes behind on the beach can be dangerous for a number of reasons. There have been past incidents of people falling into holes and becoming trapped, including a May 2023 tragedy that occurred in Frisco. In addition, vehicles can easily get stuck in giant holes, which includes local rescuers responding to emergencies, as well as service providers, like the APOA’s Operation Clean Beach Program contractor.

Big holes can also be hazardous to the local wildlife, and particularly sea turtles who will start to arrive on the Cape Hatteras National Seashore beaches to lay their eggs as the weather heats up.

As such, beach visitors are reminded to please fill in any large holes that they dig before leaving the beach, in order to keep all seashore users safe.

The Operation Clean Beach Program will continue throughout the summer season, until Labor Day Weekend.

The public is welcome to donate funds for the summertime trash pick-up program, to keep it running for years to come. For donations to the 2023 Operation Clean Beach Program, checks can be mailed to APOA, PO Box 9, Avon, NC 27915