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| UK beaches 'blighted by plastic' | UK beaches 'blighted by plastic' |
| (about 9 hours later) | |
| Britain's beaches are being blighted by more plastic rubbish than ever before, a new survey has found. | Britain's beaches are being blighted by more plastic rubbish than ever before, a new survey has found. |
| The Marine Conservation Society's Beachwatch survey used 4,000 volunteers to look for rubbish on more than 350 beaches across the UK last September. | The Marine Conservation Society's Beachwatch survey used 4,000 volunteers to look for rubbish on more than 350 beaches across the UK last September. |
| The results show more than 300,000 items of litter were collected. | The results show more than 300,000 items of litter were collected. |
| Plastic litter accounted for more than 50% of the rubbish found, and had increased more than 120% since the survey started in 1994. | Plastic litter accounted for more than 50% of the rubbish found, and had increased more than 120% since the survey started in 1994. |
| Plastic items included bags, bottles and plastic-based cigarette butts. | Plastic items included bags, bottles and plastic-based cigarette butts. |
| 'Shocking' | 'Shocking' |
| Emma Snowden, Litter Projects Coordinator at the Marine Conservation Society (MCS), said: "Plastics are of particular concern as they could persist in the marine environment for centuries, with fatal consequences for marine wildlife. | Emma Snowden, Litter Projects Coordinator at the Marine Conservation Society (MCS), said: "Plastics are of particular concern as they could persist in the marine environment for centuries, with fatal consequences for marine wildlife. |
| "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 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 volunteers walked about 168km of coast over one weekend. | The volunteers walked about 168km of coast over one weekend. |
| They found rubbish from beach visitors and fishermen, sewage-related debris and sanitary waste, as well as shipping litter. | They found rubbish from beach visitors and fishermen, sewage-related debris and sanitary waste, as well as shipping litter. |
| READ THE REPORT Beachwatch 2007 [3.8MB] Most computers will open this document automatically, but you may need Adobe Reader Download the reader here | READ THE REPORT Beachwatch 2007 [3.8MB] Most computers will open this document automatically, but you may need Adobe Reader Download the reader here |
| There was an average of two items of rubbish for every metre stretch of beach in the UK. | There was an average of two items of rubbish for every metre stretch of beach in the UK. |
| Beaches in the south-west of England had the most litter per kilometre. | Beaches in the south-west of England had the most litter per kilometre. |
| Worst offenders | Worst offenders |
| Val Robson, co-ordinator of a group of volunteers who picked up the rubbish at the sandy beach at Instow on the north Devon coast, said the worst offenders were the beach-users. | Val Robson, co-ordinator of a group of volunteers who picked up the rubbish at the sandy beach at Instow on the north Devon coast, said the worst offenders were the beach-users. |
| "We found plastic bags, crisp packets, baby wipes and barbeque tins. I don't understand why people use the beaches as a dumping ground. It's very sad. Why can't they take it home?" | "We found plastic bags, crisp packets, baby wipes and barbeque tins. I don't understand why people use the beaches as a dumping ground. It's very sad. Why can't they take it home?" |
| But she said she did think people were becoming more environmentally aware. | But she said she did think people were becoming more environmentally aware. |
| "I have been coordinating the beach clean for the past 14 years and each year I have more and more volunteers helping out with the beach clean." | "I have been coordinating the beach clean for the past 14 years and each year I have more and more volunteers helping out with the beach clean." |
| Emma Snowden said everyone could help prevent plastic items littering the beaches. | Emma Snowden said everyone could help prevent plastic items littering the beaches. |
| "By taking simple steps such as taking re-usable bags to the supermarket, re-filling plastic bottles with good old-fashioned tap water, and disposing of litter responsibly, including cigarette butts, we can all make a difference," she said. | "By taking simple steps such as taking re-usable bags to the supermarket, re-filling plastic bottles with good old-fashioned tap water, and disposing of litter responsibly, including cigarette butts, we can all make a difference," she said. |