THE GREAT BRITISH BEACH CLEAN 2024
Friday 20th - Sunday 29th September 2024
Every year in September, the Marine Conservation Society (MCS) host a week-long event where beach cleans take place all across the UK and Northern Ireland.
Anyone who is able to, can join in with the event by finding a beach clean close to them, and signing up. Alternatively, they can organise their own beach cleans following the guidance from the MCS.
Marine litter is unsightly – it’s bad for tourism and dangerous for marine creatures which can eat it or become entangled in it.
Plastics are a particular problem – consistently making up over 60% of what’s found on beaches.
Plastic never disappears – it just gets smaller and smaller – and easier for marine creatures to eat which means it can move through the food chain potentially ending up on our dinner plates.
The event not only cleans up our beautiful beaches along our coastlines, but also provides valuable data to the MCS. All litter picked up during the beach cleans throughout the week are recorded for the MCS.
Data from previous litter-pick events have been used to help campaign for positive change for the environment, such as for the plastic bag charge, banning microplastics in personal care items, and in supporting a tax on single-use plastic items, and more.
Did you know the top ten tricky items often found on beaches are[1.]:
- Bag Ends
- Tea Bags
- Plant Pots
- Hair bands
- Golf tees and golf balls
- Goggles, arm bands, snorkels
- Socks and swimming costumes
- Ear plugs and nasal clips
- Dolly ropes
- Footballs
Join in with a beach clean event near you, and don't forget to stay safe! Wear appropriate clothing, wear sunscreen, wear gloves, get a litter picker, listen carefully to the organiser in charge, and do not touch anything that looks dangerous or that you're unsure of.
You can join in by finding an event at: https://www.mcsuk.org/what-you-can-do/join-a-beach-clean/great-british-beach-clean/great-british-beach-clean-events/
If you want to organise an event, find advice at: https://www.mcsuk.org/what-you-can-do/join-a-beach-clean/useful-guides-and-resources/guides-and-resources/
To find out more about the Marine Conservation Society, please visit: https://www.mcsuk.org
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Sources:
1. https://www.mcsuk.org/what-you-can-do/join-a-beach-clean/useful-guides-and-resources/beach-cleans-top-10-tricky-litter-items/
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https://www.mcsuk.org/what-you-can-do/join-a-beach-clean/useful-guides-and-resources/guides-and-resources/
https://s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/media.mcsuk.org/documents/VCE-5830-23_Beach_Clean_Organiser_Guide_20-03-23.pdf
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