Beachwatch Big Weekend - mcsuk.org › downloads › pollution › beach... · Beachwatch Big Weekend aims to: Increase awareness of beach litter and its impacts Monitor and report

what’s lurking on your beach?

Working towards clean seas and beaches

Beachwatch Big Weekend

Summary Report Results

Beachwatch - www.mcsuk.org

Volunteers clean beaches around the UK and collect data on the types and amounts of litter found.

The Marine Conservation Society (MCS) coordinates Beachwatch Big Weekend, the only national beach litter clean up and survey of its kind, as part of our campaign for clean seas and beaches.

Thousands of volunteers participate in Beachwatch Big Weekend, ensuring the event continues to be the biggest, most influential project in the fight against beach litter pollution in the UK.

A core part of the MCS litter monitoring programme- volunteers are also encouraged to carry out beach cleans and surveys throughout the year, helping local communities tackle litter on their part of the coast.

Beachwatch Big Weekend aims to:

Increase awareness of beach litter and its impacts Monitor and report on the quantities and sources of beach litter Take action to reduce beach litter at source.

Beachwatch Big Weekend takes place annually during the third weekend in September and is the UK’s contribution to the International Coastal Cleanup, which takes place in over 70 countries worldwide.

A huge thanks to SeaFrance Dover-Calais Ferries for not only funding the Beachwatch project but for also getting involved in surveys at Kingsdown Beach in Kent.

A huge thanks to SeaFrance Dover-Calais Ferries for not only funding the Beachwatch project but for also get-ting involved in surveys at Kingsdown Beach in Kent.

More than just a clean up!MCS Beachwatch Big Weekend


Who?

Where?

When?

Amount of litter?

Distance covered?

4,927 volunteers took part in 2010.

Nationwide - 376 beaches were cleaned in 2010.

18th and 19th September 2010.

167 kilometres all around the UK - that’s like walking from Bristol to London.

330,107 items of litter were collected, filling 3,058 bin bags, equating to 1,969 pieces of litter for every kilometre surveyed.

Thank you and well done to everyone.

Reflections on the big weekend


Steve FramptonContains Ordinance Survey

data© Crown copyright and database right 2010.

Reflections on the big weekend

Trash or Treasure?!

Mariokart DS Card

Chess board

1/2 surfboard

Compost bin

Would you believe

these were the kind

of items that were

found:

The largest marine turtle on earth, the leatherback, weighs approximately one tonne!

Leatherback regularly come to our shores to eat jellyfish and the largest ever found was in Harlech, Wales.

Did you know...

“Our team had a competition to see who could find the most unusual item of litter but our own finds paled into insignificance when we discovered another team further down the beach told us they had found a moped!” Glenn Pugh

The largest Beachwatch group was at Trimley Marsh in the South East - one tonne of rubbish was removed by 132 volunteers filling 200 bags of rubbish!

Volunteers from Rhossili beach in Wales were the quickest at collecting the most litter items - 5,649 in just two and a half hours. This means that 37 items were removed from Rhossili beach every minute. Good work!


A snapshot of weird items found over Beachwatch Big weekend

Highlights...

Image courtesy: National Museum of Wales


Beach litter has almostdoubled over the last 15 years.We need to

continue working hard to break this rising trend.

1994

In 2009, we saw litter levels in the UK fall from an all time high in 2008.

However, in 2010 the average levels increased by approximately 6%.

1 kilometre is the length of approximately 8 football pitchesDid you know...

What is happening with litter levels?


1,849items/km

1,969items/km

photo: Stephen Lockwood

Where does all this littercome from?


37.4%Items dropped or left by the public on the coast or inland and carried by winds and rivers

Items too small or damaged to identify or it’s not obvious where they have come from

37.1%

Includes commercial and recreational items - e.g. fishing line, nets, rope, weights and buoys

15.3%

Items flushed down the toilet such as cotton bud sticks, tampons and panty liners

7.3%Items dropped or lost from ships

1.8%

Illegal disposal of waste including furnishings, pottery and ceramics

1.0%

Includes anything medical such as inhalers, plasters, syringes

0.3%

Sewage-related debris (SRD)

MCS supporter, TV presenter and author, Simon Reeve has been around the world three times during the making of the BBC series Equator, Tropic of Cancer and Tropic of Capricorn. Whilst visiting Hawaii he saw beach litter problems first hand – beaches that were once golden covered in marine litter, most of which was plastic. Simon says our latest findings are really shocking:

“It’s utter madness that Brits are flushing all this rubbish down the loo. We should be angry and upset that British beaches are getting dirtier. We’re creating a tidal wave of rubbish that is ruining our beaches and poisoning our oceans.

Anyone who flushes rubbish down their loo is helping to poison our world. So think about that the next time you’re using a cot-ton bud stick and pop it in the bin!”

Simon Reeve

Over the last 15 years, the top four litter sources have consistently been public, fishing, SRD and shipping. Public litter and non-sourced litter remain the highest of all seven sources and fluctuate around the top spot year to year. The amount of items that can’t be sourced has increased from last year by 13%.

All source categories have increased from last year except public litter. In 2010, there was a 3% reduction in throw-away items. We need to continue to become more responsible in discarding litter to avoid this increasing again in 2011. It’s not difficult, put your litter into a bin or, even better, RECYCLE IT!

Increased by 7% from last year. It can be fatal to many marine animals.

Consistently the lowest of the four main sources.

We must NOT use our toilets as a rubbish bin. Compared to 2009, SRD has increased across the UK by over 40% which is unacceptable. SRD levels are considerably higher in Scotland, Wales, North East and South West England.


Fishing

Sewage-Related Debris

Shipping

Public

The Sources

Small plastic pieces are always found in high numbers and continue to be the most common item found. In total 72,943 plastic pieces were removed over Beachwatch Big Weekend 2010.You will be pleased to know that cigarette stubs have dropped off the Top 10 list from last year, although glass pieces have taken their place.

Top 10 ‘Usual Suspects’

Top 10 items account for 64% of all litter found


Plastic rope, cord, string Plastic caps,lidsPlastic pieces <2.5cm

Crisp, sweet &lolly wrappers

Cotton bud sticksPolystyrene pieces Fishing net/net pieces Plastic drink bottles

Plastic pieces >2.5cm1 2 3 4 5

6 7 8 9 10Glass pieces

Why is this a problem?

Over half of all litter found was made of plastic and, since 1994 plastic items have increased by 135%.

Plastics pose a great threat to our amazing marine wildlife. Please dispose of them responsibly, just remember to: Reduce, Re-Use, Recycle.You can make a real difference without spending a penny!

Plastics may take thousands of years to fully breakdown and sometimes never leave the marine environment.

Plastics

Animals can become caught in plastic, and once trapped, it’s almost impossible to escape.



This year, Wales hit an all time high in average litter levels at 3,372 items for every kilometre surveyed.

In general, the West side of the UK suffers from a higher percentage of litter because rubbish, carried via the Gulf Stream, ends up on our beaches. This could explain why Welsh litter levels were so high in 2010.

Most regions showed an increase in items per kilometre surveyed compared with last year, with the exception of Northern Ireland, North West and South West England.

460 volunteers 31,693 items collected

1,638 volunteers 90,906 items collected


767 volunteers 53,162 items collected63 volunteers 4,983 items collected




Scotland

NE England

SE EnglandWales

N.Ireland

NW England

SW England

What’s the story around the UK?

photo: Ryan Townley, MCS


Channel Islands


Impacts of beach litter

Marine litter can directly harm wildlife through entanglement and ingestion causing death by starvation, drowning or suffocation.

Litter is unsightly and can impact on human health and local economies, including a decline in tourism.

The fishing industry suffers lost earnings due to contamination of catches by litter and damage to fishing gear.

Do you really want to see our marine life suffer when we can prevent it from happening?

This year, Wales hit an all time high in average litter levels at 3,372 items for every kilometre surveyed.

In general, the West side of the UK suffers from a higher percentage of litter because rubbish, carried via the Gulf Stream, ends up on our beaches. This could explain why Welsh litter levels were so high in 2010.

Most regions showed an increase in items per kilometre surveyed compared with last year, with the exception of Northern Ireland, North West and South West England.


1,638 volunteers 90,906 items collected

photo: Ryan Townley, MCS


photo:C. McGuinness

photo:M Pritchard


The beach litter information collected is the crucial evidence base we need to run campaigns to tackle the litter problem at source. Beach cleaning alone will not stop the ever increasing tide of litter washing up on our shores - only by breaking down our information to find out where it’s coming from.

Your survey data

In a unique project, MCS and Plastics 2020 are working together on the Bottle Champions Project where primary school pupils recycle bottles and get a sports kit made from recycled plastic in return.

Bottle Champions

Our campaign to end balloon releases. Several balloon releases were cancelled in 2010, including a charity whose balloon was found wrapped around a bird’s neck. Since the campaign has been running, 17 local authorities have promised not to release balloons on their land.

MCS has won the Coast magazine 2011 award for ‘Best Green Marine Campaign’ for our Beachwatch project. We were delighted to accept the award on YOUR behalf - our unsung heroes who work so hard!

Don’t Let Go

Your hardwork rewarded

Recent litter project successes

Tell a friendSpread the word about MCS and encourage your friends to do something to make a difference.

Join an MCS beach cleanGo to www.mcsuk.org to find out more.Our marine environment and wildlife need you!

Become a memberJoin MCS for as little as £3 a month and help us take action to stop litter destroying the UK’s beaches. Join us at: www.mcsuk.org or phone us on: 01989 566017.

Join our online communityFind us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/mcsukFollow us on Twitter: www.twitter.com/mcsuk


photo: Charlie Phillips

How can you help?

Registered Charity No (England and Wales): 1004005Registered Charity No (Scotland): SCO37480Company Limited by Guarantee Number: 2550966

Register now to take partTel: 01989 566017Email: [email protected] Address: Overross House, Ross Park, Ross-on-Wye, Herefordshire, HR9 7US

www.mcsuk.org

Documents

Beachwatch Big Weekend - mcsuk.org › downloads › pollution › beach... · Beachwatch Big Weekend aims to: Increase awareness of beach litter and its impacts Monitor and report