Beach buckets will allow Western New Yorkers to enjoy beach this summer without trashing it

Submitted by the Press Secretary to the Erie County Executive

Western New York beaches are beautiful places to relax and enjoy nature this summer, but sometimes beach litter can detract from that experience, as well as harm the environment. Thanks to a collaboration among Erie County Parks, New York State Parks, Buffalo Niagara Waterkeeper, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center and the Beach Bucket Foundation, beachgoers will be able to keep three area beaches clean, this summer and beyond, with self-service beach buckets.

As part of a pilot program, there will be stations with beach buckets available at Bennett Beach, Wendt Beach and Beaver Island State Park. Visitors can grab a bucket from the stations and voluntarily pick up cigarette butt litter, plastic bottles and other washed-up debris. The message is simple: Take care of our beaches while also discouraging people from leaving their litter behind.

“We look forward to engaging our community in keeping our beautiful beaches clean,” said Troy Schinzel, Erie County commissioner of Parks, Recreation and Forestry. “In 2025, volunteers helped remove 10,460 pounds of trash from our parks, shorelines and communities. Using a beach bucket to clean up can improve health and wellness by promoting participation in the physical activity needed to pick up trash, as well as the ‘feel good’ factor from such a positive experience.”

"We are excited to work with our partners at Erie County Parks, New York State Parks, Roswell Park, and the Beach Bucket Foundation to expand our ‘Solo Sweep’ cleanup program with these new tools for keeping trash out of our Western New York waters," said Buffalo Niagara Waterkeeper Executive Director Jill Jedlicka. "These kiosks will guide volunteers and inspire individual stewardship and action while helping us collect data on the types of trash collected. This data will also directly inform scientific research and aid our advocacy efforts to protect our Great Lakes."

Officials believe the convenience and accessibility of the stations will make it easy for visitors to participate in beach clean ups, as well as become aware of the environment and how we can all be involved in making a difference.

“At Roswell Park, we’re concerned about picking up beach litter, including litter from tobacco and vaping products, because a clean environment is a crucial component of both public health and cancer prevention,” said Maansi Bansal-Travers, Ph.D., tobacco control outreach program director at Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center. “Environmental factors significantly influence cancer risk, and maintaining a healthy environment can help reduce exposure to carcinogens and other harmful substances, thus decreasing the likelihood of developing cancer.”

Using the beach buckets to clean up will also give beach and park visitors the opportunity to earn community service hours. Thanks to a program provided by the Buffalo Niagara Waterkeeper, volunteers simply grab a bucket, collect trash, submit data and watch the community service hours add up. See the QR code on the bucket signage for more information.