Embargoed
until: 00:01hrs Thursday 10th April 2008
MCS
BEACHWATCH 2007 RESULTS
PLASTIC
COTTON-BUD STICKS, BAGS, BUTTS AND BOTTLES THE SCOURGE OF SCOTLAND’S
SHORES
A
continuing tide of cotton-bud sticks has helped tip Scotland to the bottom of
the UK league for beach litter. Sewage-related
debris (SRD),
consisting mainly of cotton-bud sticks, accounted for 26%
of the total litter found in Scotland,
according to the Marine Conservation Society’s (MCS) Beachwatch 2007 survey
report published today. The density of SRD in Scotland (708.8/km) was the
highest of any country and over five times the UK average (125.7/km).
One
beach in particular recorded more than a staggering 8,000
cotton bud sticks,
against the overall downward trend of cotton-bud sticks across the
UK. Even if this beach is removed from the analysis, the density of SRD in Scotland
falls to 142.31 items/km, still higher than the UK average and the highest SRD
density of any country. Overall,
the MCS Beachwatch 2007 report shows that plastic litter on all UK beaches has
increased by a staggering 126% since the annual survey began in
1994.
Despite
appalling weather leading to the cancellation of many surveys, a total of 43,078 litter items
were collected on 46 Scottish beaches by 563 hardy volunteers over a total
length of 15.79 km during Beachwatch 2007. On average 2,727.8 items of litter
/km were found, which is higher than the UK average (2,054/km). This is
an increase of 30.41% in density levels when compared to 2006
(2,091.7/km).
“In
February, MCS welcomed the Scottish Government’s progressive plans for tackling
beach litter, and unfortunately the MCS Beachwatch 2007 report highlights the
pressing need for such measures,” said
Anne Saunders, MCS Scottish Projects Officer. “In the last 10 years plastic drinks bottles have increased by 67%, plastic
bags by 54% and cigarette butts by 44%. Plastics are
of particular concern as they could persist in the marine environment for centuries with
fatal consequences for marine wildlife. The Marine Conservation
Society’s Beachwatch volunteers remove tons of litter from
beaches, and using the survey data they collect, MCS is raising awareness about this serious situation and the solutions. The plastic litter problem needs
to be tackled at all levels, from grassroots through to Government, while
industry and retail sectors must acknowledge the need to reduce plastic bag use
and packaging ”.
The
MCS Beachwatch 2007 report is based on data collected by almost 4,000 volunteers
on 354 UK beaches surveyed in mid-September 2007. Volunteers surveyed 168.5km of
coast and removed over 346,000 litter items. This latest report identifies four
key sources of beach litter - recreational & beach visitors (35.3%), fishing
litter (13.7%), sewage related debris/sanitary waste (6.1%) and shipping litter
(1.8%). The average density of UK beach litter in the MCS Beachwatch 2007 survey
was 2,054 items of litter per kilometre –
an average of two items for every metre stretch of beach! While MCS lobbies for a national strategy to tackle this
extraordinary volume of rubbish washing up on our beaches, it also encourages
individual responsibility for litter disposal.
“Everyone
can help prevent some of the most common plastic items littering our beaches and
seas by reducing their use,“ Anne
Saunders continues, “By taking simple
steps such as taking re-usable bags
to the supermarket, re-filling plastic bottles with good old-fashioned tap
water, disposing of litter responsibly, including cigarette butts, and bagging and binning cotton-bud sticks and other
sanitary waste, we can all make a difference”.
The
full MCS Beachwatch 2007 results can be downloaded at www.adoptabeach.org.uk. In addition, to Beachwatch
MCS also promotes the “Go
Plastic Bag Free” initiative and currently has over 70
towns and communities in the UK signed up to the campaign. Information about other MCS litter
campaigns, including the highly successful “Don’t
Let Go!” campaign which promotes wildlife-friendly
use of balloons can be found at www.adoptabeach.org.uk>>further
action>>litter campaigns.
MCS is
extremely grateful to The Crown
Estate for funding the litter projects, and Beachwatch is an excellent example
of The Crown Estate and the Marine Conservation Society working together
for the eighth consecutive year to raise public awareness of marine pollution and
encourage participation at a local level.
Dr
Carolyn Heeps, Head of Marine Policy and Sustainable Development at the Crown
Estate says, “Beachwatch and its thousands of volunteers continues to
highlight the increasing problem of litter on Britain’s beaches. We know that individual action is the
answer to a large part of the problem so we hope that everyone will take notice
of the Marine Conservation Society’s report and will act responsibly to keep
Britain’s beaches beautiful and free of litter.”
The Marine
Conservation Society works in cooperation with the
Project AWARE Foundation to organise underwater cleanup events. The data from MCS Beachwatch surveys also
contributes to the International Coastal Cleanup, involving over 70 countries worldwide, organised by the Ocean
Conservancy in the United States. MCS would like to thank all of the
volunteers that participated in MCS Beachwatch 2007, without whose hard
work and dedication the MCS Beachwatch survey would not be possible.
For further information about MCS Beachwatch 2007
Anne
Saunders, MCS Scottish Projects Officer – Tel: 0131 226
2391
Calum Duncan,
MCS Scottish Conservation Manager – Tel: 0131 226
6360
Emma Snowden,
MCS Litter Projects Coordinator - Tel: 01989 567807/ 07793 118388
Richard
Harrington, MCS Communications Manager – Tel: 01989 561585 / 07793 118384
General
Marine Conservation Society UK switchboard – Tel: 01989 566017
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