Beach litter 'doubles' in a decade

Published on Friday 20 April 2007 00:12

THE amount of litter on Britain's beaches has nearly doubled in just over a decade, according to a major survey of the UK coast.

The Marine Conservation Society's Beachwatch anti-litter campaign also found that just two Scottish beaches accounted for half the total amount of sewage waste - such as cotton buds, sanitary towels and other debris - that volunteers removed from the whole UK coastline.

The Scottish Environmental Protection Agency (SEPA) said sewage waste was generally lower in Scotland but the survey's findings at the two west-coast beaches were "a concern". SEPA also said that "deficiencies in sewerage systems are a major threat to the environment".

Hundreds of volunteers took part in the Beachwatch programme, walking some 116 miles of the UK coastline and removing more than 370,000 items of litter. In 1994, the volunteers found an average of 1,045 pieces of rubbish for every kilometre of beach, but the 2006 survey found nearly twice that level with 1,989 items, or about two for every metre.

Sanitary waste was a particular problem at two sites - Saltings to Bowling and East Bay on the Clyde estuary - and these were the only two areas "named and shamed" by the report.

Calum Duncan, MCS's Scottish conservation manager, said: "Sewage-related debris on our beaches is not only disgusting to look at, but since the majority of the products are plastic, they also persist at sea for many years. This should be an easy environmental issue to resolve, and yet the public message is still not getting across: don't use your toilet as a wet dustbin."

In a foreword to the Beachwatch report Kate Humble, a wildlife television presenter, wrote: "

The impact litter has on our wildlife is enormous and inexcusable. Unfortunately, litter doesn't just stay on the beach. Much of it will end up in the sea where it is a danger not just to marine wildlife, but to fishermen and boats as well."

Colin Bayes, SEPA's director of environmental protection and improvement, said Scotland's water quality was good on the whole, but "a small number of sewage trouble spots" were under investigation.

He added: "It is encouraging that the survey finds Scotland has generally lower levels of sewage debris than the rest of the UK, but the level found in areas like Bowling is a concern.

"Storm overflows caused by pressure on the drainage system are the most likely cause. Sepa has highlighted the need to sort out these problems. Deficiencies in sewerage systems are a major threat to the environment."

Scottish Water said it was investing in screens to remove debris from sewage. A spokesman said: "The results of this are being seen with improvements in the quality of water in the Clyde.

"Excess waste finds its way onto beaches mainly because large volumes of unsuitable bathroom rubbish are flushed into the sewerage system."

• THE Beachwatch survey in Scotland involved nearly 1,000 volunteers, who took part in the clean-up operations at 63 beaches last year.

After sewage-related debris, rubbish dropped by beach visitors was the next biggest source of litter, followed by fishing debris. On average 2,091 items of litter of all types were found for every kilometre of beach, which was slightly higher than the UK average of 1,988.

Some of the more unusual items found during the UK survey included a boomerang, a road sign and a plastic T-Rex toy.