Al-Rushaid celebrates International Coastal Cleanup Drive in Rabigh

For the second time, more than 900 of Al-Rushaid Construction Company Ltd. employees and volunteers swapped construction equipment to trash bags on Friday morning to help clean up the dirty shorelines of the Rabigh coastline.
The volunteers collected garbage washed ashore and picked up randomly-thrown paper, clothes, cans, plastic bottles and cups, grocery bags, cigarette butts, ropes, Styrofoam, worn-out tires and other rubbish from a long section of the beach in Rabigh, a West coast of Red Sea of the Western Region of Saudi Arabia. The campaign is part of a major environmental initiative launched by the construction company.
The occasion marked the Ocean Conservancy’s International Coastal Clean Up 2013, which coincided with the 20th year joint venture partnership anniversary between EEI Corporation of Philippines and Al-Rushaid Petroleum Investment Corporation (ARPIC) of Saudi Arabia. The event is also a way of thanking Saudi Arabia as second home to expatriate workers on the occasion of the 83rd Saudi National Day.
“We gathered here today for a very special mission, and that is to contribute to protect the rich biodiversity and natural beauty of Rabigh coastline,” Edwin T. Paragas, group manager-operation, said during his opening remarks.
He also reiterated the company’s safety, environmental and health policy by actively joining these simple initiatives for a better world.
“The company recently achieved the Environmental Management System also known as ISO 14001-2004, a manifestation that we are serious in our vision,” Paragas said. “Be it in Manifa Shoreline and be it now here in Rabigh coastline, our enthusiasm and commitment will continue in saving our earth for our future generations,” he added.
The beach cleaning campaign was also attended by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) management and staff with volunteers from APO-Center for Environmental Advocacy headed by Pedro H. Holanda, who is also the national coordinator of Ocean Conservancy, Saudi Arabia. They help and support the volunteer collecting rubbish and other types of pollutants.