Each year, the Marine Conservation Society’s Great British Beach Clean event brings thousands of volunteers together across the UK with one common goal – to clean up our beaches and collect valuable data to build a bigger picture of the state of our beaches, and to drive marine conservation efforts. Every piece of litter removed, and every survey completed, brings us one step closer to healthier oceans.

It’s been an incredible week on the coast for the Great British Beach clean so far, with a phenomenal turnout of support from volunteers! Volunteers from far and wide have joined us daily during this national movement, to pick up litter and record the types of waste that we are finding. From local volunteers and families, to businesses and universities, there has been a strong community spirit and shared commitment to protect our local coastal areas. We have seen people of all ages come together to make a difference. Over 100 dedicated volunteers have come together during the past week, to collect an outstanding total of 150 bags of litter from local beaches.

"A fabulous friendly community doing our best to keep our beaches beautiful for all who enjoy them and ensuring they are a safe environment for wildlife.  It’s frustrating sometimes to see the state that beaches are left in by humans or by recent storms and high tides, but a great feeling of satisfaction at the end of a beach clean when we know we have made a difference."  - Jane, Volunteer

Litter on our beaches is more than just unsightly, it poses a serious threat to marine life, ecosystems and human health too. We have removed an alarming amount of litter over the past week, within which contents have varied widely. Plastics were among one of the most common items that were found; plastic bottles, food wrappers, plastic bags, bottle tops and small plastic fragments. These plastics break down and become smaller microplastics, which can be lethal to the marine environment and marine wildlife, as most species will ingest plastic as they feed. These microplastics can also make their way up the food chain and could impact human health too. Alongside these microplastics, we have also encountered a significant number of nurdles (very small pellets of plastic which serve as raw materials in the manufacture of plastic products), collecting more than 700 nurdles within a 100m survey area.

In addition to the common finds, our beach clean-ups have uncovered some items that serve as a reminder of how long-lasting and detrimental the environmental impact of improperly disposed waste can be. We encountered entire disposable barbeques left behind after beach gatherings, nitrous oxide canisters, an old flip phone, balloons and lots of fishing wire. Once again, marine animals frequently mistake balloon fragments for food, which can block their digestive system. Similarly, fishing wire and rope pose a serious threat by entangling wildlife, often leading to injury, or even death.

“Reducing litter pollution and its effect on marine life and the wider environment is hugely rewarding. The teamwork amongst volunteers is fabulous and by working together we achieve great results" - Julie, Volunteer

"When I first started beach cleaning, we quite often got comments like ‘it will be back again tomorrow when the tide comes in’, but the rubbish we pick up won’t be back and that’s the point. We now get more people asking to join in or offering words of encouragement and thanks. It’s great to see people joining a clean on the spur of the moment” - Brian, Volunteer

Around half the UK’s wildlife lives in the sea. If all this litter wasn’t collected, it would end up back in the sea and potentially cause injury or even death to marine mammals, birds and other wildlife. By recording the types of waste we find, we are helping to build a clearer picture of where this litter comes from and take action. The beach cleans over the past week are part of a much bigger picture and the impact extends far beyond the coast. This week has been a powerful reminder that taking small actions for nature add up to a significant change.

One of the most inspiring parts of the beach cleans has been the overwhelming support and engagement from the local community. A huge thank you to everyone who has joined in and supported our beach cleans, keeping our beautiful coast safe for both visitors and wildlife to enjoy!