Litter on beaches

[MINESAPINT]

I live close to Runswick Bay, N Yorks and visit the beach regularly. Yesterday I noticed an old lady 80ish going round collecting general garbage and putting it in a neat pile. I chatted to her and she was quite distressed about the mess and potential damage to wildlife as all of us responsible folk are. The lady had been left to rest a while while her family had gone for a walk but she simply could not sit and look at all the mess. She told me she was recovering from having a stroke and could not use her right hand yet. Her pile of rubbish (about 3 bin liners full) was left above the high water mark and with no high tides due will not be washed back into the sea, I will pick it up in the next day or two.

I have collected litter myself but acting alone I have little impact.

I am wondering if by chance there are sufficient people living reasonably close to Runswick Bay who would be prepared to meet one Saturday/Sunday morning for an hour to have a clean up. I can remove any bagged garbage in my Land Rover. You would just need some strong gloves and a couple of bags?

I am unaware whose responsibility it is to keep our beaches clean but I do not think the honour should fall to octagenarian stroke victims!!!

MINESAPINT

[ina]

You are quite right - there are regular litter action days here on the beaches (not living really close to one I don't know how often, or who organises them). Would the council in your area maybe know whether there is anything like that at your's?

[Ratty]

What a sweet little old lady!

I know that both the Marine Conservation Society and local Councils organise clean-up days, its well worth contacting either/both of those for willing volunteers.

Good luck on a great activity there

Ratty

[MINESAPINT]

Have contacted the Marine Conservation Society & await their reply. I have looked on their web site and at the list of beaches tested in a recent survey & interestingly Runswick Bay beach last year was a recommended beach but in 2008 it failed the inspection. Not quite clear what is taken into account for the inspection but feel luck might play its part. I am on the beach most days and one day the beach is strewn with plastic litter, bottles, fishing lines, clothing, ropes etc then next morning due to wind & tidal conditions the whole lot has been washed out to sea & the beach looks perfect.

MINESAPINT

[WiseBird]

here in Dorset, quite often the local sea scouts can be seen down at the beach tidying up, clearing away any rubbish and they seem to enjoy it too. Perhaps a willing local youth group could be organised...

[MINESAPINT]

Have now received replies from Marine Conservation Society and Scarborough Borough Council.

As far as I understand the Marine Conservation Society is principally interested in collecting detailed information on what types of litter are prevalent in a particular area so they are able to tailor their very limited resources. They have 2 levels of survey, one annually and one quarterly. They have asked if I would like to volunteer to organise their quarterly surveys. During these surveys they ask for a 100m length of beach to be thoroughly inspected and a report compiled then dependent on time available and number of willing volunteers a general clean of the beach can take place.

Scarbourough council advise they do have an operative living in Runswick Bay who does clean the beach early in the morning before the tourists arrive. I can only assume that the high tide occurs a little later in the morning and deposits fresh garbage daily. However they have agreed to review the situation to see if collections can be made more effective.

Seems to me like the underlying problem is that the problem is not taken seriously as it is not a profit making venture. I would like to see local scout/youth groups take an interest in the beach but the area is not heavily populated and I am not sure if there are any?.

Personally I would like to see large litter bins placed on beaches (above the high water mark) and a campaign underway encouraging visitors & holidaymakers to put not only their own litter in but a few extra items they may wish to collect for the general good. Bins could have exciting designs on them to make them recognisable and competitions held at schools throughout the country to come up with the "winning design".

All is needed is a few million quid to get it started and a high profile celebrity. Anyone have David Beckhams mobile number?

Obviously I make reference to the beach with which I am familiar but do assume this is a problem replicated throughout Britain & probably the rest of the world.

MINESAPINT

[andyt]

The problem with littering,is peoples ignorance.I live in rural Norfolk & often have witnessed tourists admiring the view while dropping their crisp/fag packets where they stand.Whats that all about?

[Ratty]

Personally I would like to see large litter bins placed on beaches (above the high water mark) and a campaign underway encouraging visitors & holidaymakers to put not only their own litter in but a few extra items they may wish to collect for the general good. Bins could have exciting designs on them to make them recognisable and competitions held at schools throughout the country to come up with the "winning design".

This was done in inner city Nottingham with great success. They were called "dazzle bins" and the level of littering on the streets dropped significantly.

When I was young I was always amused by a sign at a local beach (in Suffolk) of a pig & her piglets which read "Please take your litter home". I'm sure each year we had a Keep Britain Tidy competition to design posters too.

It is possible to bring about change, MINESAPINT, first stop should be your local Councillor(s). Good luck

Ratty

[MINESAPINT]

Yes, will try to sniff out a local councillor.

I was at the beach yesterday and witnessed a JCB & dump truck working all day collecting seaweed at one end of the beach and dumping it at the other about 400 yards away!.

Thing is people have different priorities. I see seaweed as entirely natural and not harmful to wildlife. I would have rather seen the drivers of the dump truck & JCB hand picking the items from the beach that WILL harm wildlife like fishing line, net, bottles, plumbing pipe, plastic bags, clothing, shoes, ropes, flasks, fishing hooks, half full chemical drums etc. etc. All these items were among the seaweed and have been moved along the beach with it.

I did see a fellow on the programme "Mountain" the other night who having retired decided he would dedicate his time to cleaning up Britains mountains. He certainly seemed to enjoy his voluntary role following holiday makers round picking up their discarded crisp packets, sweet wrappers & water bottles!

I assume the seaweed was being cleared by contractors for Scarborough council as they did indicate to me they cleared seaweed from the beach as required although what they did not say is they only move it a few yards down the beach to be washed back on the next tide!!!!

I just see it as a missed opportunity. Having a dump truck available and a few willing volunteers for a couple of hours we could have made a real difference.

[Flo]

Oooooooooooooh a seaweed compost heap for anyone quick enough means to move it