![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/PICXL3SAXVBM7F6IA4KO55WI3Y.jpg?smart=true&auth=66d70949aaec2364dede0e98d344e7e75567f72bf814804a4ff74356e166e34e&width=400&height=225)
Top five winners for boys and girls for the Cranleigh Eco 5km Run
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/FZKKYRXHJNGVDNU3AX3JV3FCKM.jpg?smart=true&auth=8b421abbc5ba8ad6758e5bcba29551935d30a5ce4d1f7b6633718413f29a9a54&width=400&height=225)
Children were among more than 400 people who took part in a beach clean-up, to help prepare for the Hawksbill turtle nesting season on Saadiyat Island. All photos: Khushnum Bhandari / The National
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/L7I5KGRQEZAGVACKCFP4NLHY5M.jpg?smart=true&auth=29beb014fccd59c4841a20ca5dd7d864f4ea12f2fa4e13ffe8a34971b762d94b&width=400&height=225)
Volunteers cleared rubbish on parts of the idyllic beaches near Jumeirah Saadiyat International Resort
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/QUSO3BBKTJFFZAPS4NPYNZBOZQ.jpg?smart=true&auth=bcec432d8052f778232cb7789cf1bb593b320aa3de5f82defce8870bca03dbf8&width=400&height=225)
They were on the lookout for tiny plastic bits, called nurdles, which have become a menace to the world’s oceans
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/AKWV63PPJVBL3DYA7Y45HOBYU4.jpg?smart=true&auth=69c983136ad278233d66cde1ec593a2d8b93edcd62d6c9555991b1712c560f70&width=400&height=225)
Attendees collected about 5,000-10,000 of the small nurdles
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/TL5VHHQN7NDUVKNAHZBNA446UA.jpg?smart=true&auth=6512c63af86e199226e554238082d87673f97f9804eed00a2c84d4f7a8385cd2&width=400&height=225)
Participants of all ages collect nurdles
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/CWCOWVUNSZB6LLOQWNLY4A7K54.jpg?smart=true&auth=7299f3260b890dd89964375052ffd953372f94634d28d71281ad5775dfc96ff4&width=400&height=225)
Participants of all ages collect nurdles
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/6YAOB2C64ZCRHN3YHLFQVVOANY.jpg?smart=true&auth=a928f5a04c55c6b4108894d1c847d3cba9b3ad887de423051558d38152eebb72&width=400&height=225)
A child places nurdles in a jar
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/O2KQ6RFOWZFBNKRHUUTJ7PSHMA.jpg?smart=true&auth=d04219338a8994d178edf76d99bbf122ab7bc12e1d5e670bc9ccb0aace00ba7e&width=400&height=225)
Other objects found included traffic cones and debris from boats
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/2IH437HG3NBR3OVQT5HQNHWN44.jpg?smart=true&auth=87fe5371a8348c5d25195cd2ef402f475183678e76ebfb6d0ebc7acd3595ec1e&width=400&height=225)
Dr Hind Al Ameri, assistant scientist in marine species, who leads the marine turtle conservation programme at Environmental Agency Abu Dhabi, speaks at the event
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/YZ5QQ3J2SRE2PJS5RJS4PXI6Q4.jpg?smart=true&auth=ff96c19ba5da990377839942ea66bfa6b7bbd8b17268ed465b81b24c14a35632&width=400&height=225)
Simon Johnson, Cranleigh Abu Dhabi schoolteacher, said he works closely with the Environment Agency to patrol the beach to check on the turtles
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/BHG3A4BKVZG5ZDWME6GIAEOON4.jpg?smart=true&auth=7a97911a40387685cc144efb76cf4c00388b9f98dfe9e45a95f667af807a2de5&width=400&height=225)
Organisers also hosted a fun run on the beach after it was cleared
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/RMOSOQHD7BAZFHKR6UNKEHVFEA.jpg?smart=true&auth=50b1470a5e7bd5f7cf3b36bd38dae92351b9f567941d180dbe538c28ea4cfc49&width=400&height=225)
The start of the Cranleigh Eco Run
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/PICXL3SAXVBM7F6IA4KO55WI3Y.jpg?smart=true&auth=66d70949aaec2364dede0e98d344e7e75567f72bf814804a4ff74356e166e34e&width=400&height=225)
Top five winners for boys and girls for the Cranleigh Eco 5km Run
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/FZKKYRXHJNGVDNU3AX3JV3FCKM.jpg?smart=true&auth=8b421abbc5ba8ad6758e5bcba29551935d30a5ce4d1f7b6633718413f29a9a54&width=400&height=225)
Children were among more than 400 people who took part in a beach clean-up, to help prepare for the Hawksbill turtle nesting season on Saadiyat Island. All photos: Khushnum Bhandari / The National
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/L7I5KGRQEZAGVACKCFP4NLHY5M.jpg?smart=true&auth=29beb014fccd59c4841a20ca5dd7d864f4ea12f2fa4e13ffe8a34971b762d94b&width=400&height=225)
Volunteers cleared rubbish on parts of the idyllic beaches near Jumeirah Saadiyat International Resort
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/QUSO3BBKTJFFZAPS4NPYNZBOZQ.jpg?smart=true&auth=bcec432d8052f778232cb7789cf1bb593b320aa3de5f82defce8870bca03dbf8&width=400&height=225)
They were on the lookout for tiny plastic bits, called nurdles, which have become a menace to the world’s oceans
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/AKWV63PPJVBL3DYA7Y45HOBYU4.jpg?smart=true&auth=69c983136ad278233d66cde1ec593a2d8b93edcd62d6c9555991b1712c560f70&width=400&height=225)
Attendees collected about 5,000-10,000 of the small nurdles
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/TL5VHHQN7NDUVKNAHZBNA446UA.jpg?smart=true&auth=6512c63af86e199226e554238082d87673f97f9804eed00a2c84d4f7a8385cd2&width=400&height=225)
Participants of all ages collect nurdles
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/CWCOWVUNSZB6LLOQWNLY4A7K54.jpg?smart=true&auth=7299f3260b890dd89964375052ffd953372f94634d28d71281ad5775dfc96ff4&width=400&height=225)
Participants of all ages collect nurdles
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/6YAOB2C64ZCRHN3YHLFQVVOANY.jpg?smart=true&auth=a928f5a04c55c6b4108894d1c847d3cba9b3ad887de423051558d38152eebb72&width=400&height=225)
A child places nurdles in a jar
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/O2KQ6RFOWZFBNKRHUUTJ7PSHMA.jpg?smart=true&auth=d04219338a8994d178edf76d99bbf122ab7bc12e1d5e670bc9ccb0aace00ba7e&width=400&height=225)
Other objects found included traffic cones and debris from boats
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/2IH437HG3NBR3OVQT5HQNHWN44.jpg?smart=true&auth=87fe5371a8348c5d25195cd2ef402f475183678e76ebfb6d0ebc7acd3595ec1e&width=400&height=225)
Dr Hind Al Ameri, assistant scientist in marine species, who leads the marine turtle conservation programme at Environmental Agency Abu Dhabi, speaks at the event
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/YZ5QQ3J2SRE2PJS5RJS4PXI6Q4.jpg?smart=true&auth=ff96c19ba5da990377839942ea66bfa6b7bbd8b17268ed465b81b24c14a35632&width=400&height=225)
Simon Johnson, Cranleigh Abu Dhabi schoolteacher, said he works closely with the Environment Agency to patrol the beach to check on the turtles
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/BHG3A4BKVZG5ZDWME6GIAEOON4.jpg?smart=true&auth=7a97911a40387685cc144efb76cf4c00388b9f98dfe9e45a95f667af807a2de5&width=400&height=225)
Organisers also hosted a fun run on the beach after it was cleared
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/RMOSOQHD7BAZFHKR6UNKEHVFEA.jpg?smart=true&auth=50b1470a5e7bd5f7cf3b36bd38dae92351b9f567941d180dbe538c28ea4cfc49&width=400&height=225)
The start of the Cranleigh Eco Run
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/PICXL3SAXVBM7F6IA4KO55WI3Y.jpg?smart=true&auth=66d70949aaec2364dede0e98d344e7e75567f72bf814804a4ff74356e166e34e&width=400&height=225)
Top five winners for boys and girls for the Cranleigh Eco 5km Run
Beach clean-up on Saadiyat Island nets more than 150kg of plastic waste
Volunteers clear sands of plastic pellets before turtle nesting season begins
![Nick Webster](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/https%3A%2F%2Fs3.amazonaws.com%2Farc-authors%2Fthenational%2F9cfba7f3-8cc8-4789-bcec-97bd0007d9ef.png?smart=true&auth=96a9a5766af20e4704e52306e74ecd02669a7e0ffd084d4151d31e0039a945d3&width=70&height=70)
Nick Webster
21 January, 2023
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