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