The results are in from this year’s Great British Beach Clean!
In the 27th year of the Marine Conservation Society’s annual nationwide initiative, the Great British Beach Clean ran for a week, rather than the usual weekend.
Across Suffolk, 13 different beach clean events took place with the help of 85 fantastic volunteers, including the Minding The Gap beach clean in Felixstowe (pictured above).
Their efforts culminated in 1,400 metres of beach being surveyed, collecting 31 bags of litter with an average of 325 litter items per 100 metres.
During lockdown we all gained an appreciation for the natural world and the UK’s outdoor spaces. The Great British Beach Clean and our Source to Sea Litter Quest was an opportunity to undo any damage done since restrictions have eased
Emma Black, Countryside Projects Officer for Coast & Heaths AONB said:
“It was fantastic to see that so many people are passionate about keeping the beaches along our beautiful coastline clean, and we are indebted to all of the volunteers who helped with this year’s Great British Beach Clean events.
However, it further highlighted that drink-related items continue to be a major source of litter on our beaches. Whist initiatives such as the Deposit Return Scheme for drinks containers are yet to be decided upon, we can all reduce this type of waste by using reusable containers.
With these results we are reminded of the broader challenges we face to end litter pollution along this iconic coastline and of our individual responsibility to consider how our own consumer choices can impact the environment, and where we can make small changes to have a big impact for the environment.”
The top 5 most common litter items on UK beaches in 2020 (average per 100m of beach surveyed) were:
- Plastic and polystyrene pieces (0-50cm) – 167.2
- Plastic and polystyrene caps and lids – 19.7
- Wet wipes – 17.7
- Cigarette stubs – 16.2
- Plastic string – 15.8
Find out more about the Great British Beach Clean, as well as volunteering opportunities.
For more information contact Emma Black on 01394 445225, or email [email protected]