Children and adults are being urged to take part in what is set to be the UK’s biggest beach clean-up, as a leading conservation charity warns of the continuing risk to marine life from the huge volume of litter, which is overwhelming the oceans and being washed up onto beaches.
According to the Marine Conservation Society (MCS), plastics make up half the rubbish recovered, and pose the largest single threat to wildlife such as fish, seabirds and turtles-and the volume of plastic bottles and tops, ropes and bags has increased by 135 per cent since records began in 1994.
The charity started a regular annual weekend beach clean in the same year-the so-called Beachwatch Big Weekend-but this year it is teaming up for the first time with commercial property retail giant Marks and Spencer to supervise organised litter-picking sessions at 150 beaches across the UK at the end of May. It hopes that the existing record turnout of 5,000 people could be even higher as a result of the new partnership.
MCS warns that litter is swamping our oceans-where it is mainly unseen-before being washed up on shorelines. MCS measures it by mass, last year recording nearly 2,000 items of rubbish for every kilometre of shoreline. New records are due to be issued on 22 March.
An MCS spokesperson said: “It kills wildlife, looks disgusting, and is a hazard to our health and costs millions to clear up. According to last year’s Beachwatch report, over half of all litter found was made of plastic, which may take thousands of years to fully break down and generally doesn’t leave the marine environment.”
The May clean-up is part of commercial property M&S’s environment initiative Plan A, which saw a five pence charge introduced for plastic bags in 2008, cutting use by 80 per cent and raising over £4 million for charity. As an encouragement, customers who register in advance for the clean-up will be given a money-off M&S voucher and a free M&S lunch on the day.
Free beach activity packs can be downloaded for kids, and at six larger beaches-including Hazelbank near Belfast, Heacham in north Norfolk and Cramond near Edinburgh, there will be a free barbeque and children’s games.
Chief Executive of commercial property retailer Marks and Spencer, Marc Bolland, who will be helping out at Heacham, said: “We rely on our beaches as places to have fun and relax and we rely on our seas to provide us with fish for us to eat, yet we pollute them by allowing them to become landing points for all sorts of rubbish. We hope that as many beach cleaners-big and small-will come down to our beaches. Together we can make a real difference, and encourage the next generation to care passionately about protecting our beaches and seas for the future.”
