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Discarded masks and other items of personal protective equipment were found on nearly a third of the beaches surveyed by beach cleanup volunteers this fall.
The Marine Conservation Society’s annual beach cleanup found elements of PPE in 30% of the areas they cleaned.
The most common items of contamination found in coastal areas were plastic or polystyrene pieces, lids from plastic take-out cups and wet wipes.
Volunteers carried out beach cleanups in 385 coastal areas in September, covering 43,958 meters of beach.
This year, due to the coronavirus crisis, PPE appeared for the first time on the surveyed beaches. The volunteers also found masks and gloves in 69% of the garbage collections inside.
Lizzie Prior, Great British Beach Clean Coordinator at the Marine Conservation Society, said: “The amount of PPE our volunteers found on the beaches and inland this year is cause for concern. Considering that the use of masks only became mandatory in stores in England at the end of July, just over three months before the Great British Beach Clean, the sharp increase in PPE litter should be a warning of what it could be a new form of trash polluting our beaches. in the future.”
Like many other single-use items, disposable masks and gloves pose a threat to wildlife on land and at sea, he said. Marine animals may mistake face masks and gloves for prey, filling their stomachs with materials that do not decompose and could prove fatal. The animals are also at risk of becoming entangled in the straps of the masks, and the legs of the recently shown seabirds are wrapped in the bungee cords.
Drinks litter continues to be found on UK beaches, with an average of 30 drink containers, lids and lids for every 100 meters of beach surveyed this year. Inland, almost all garbage collectors (99%) found beverage garbage.
Dr Laura Foster, director of clean seas for the Marine Conservation Society, said: “This year’s data … shows how crucial it is that Wales, England and Northern Ireland follow in Scotland’s footsteps and urgently introduce a return of all-inclusive deposits. The government has said it will introduce a DRS but only starting in 2023.
“Despite the lockdown, with many of us spending more time at home, litter in public spaces has continued unabated. Almost every local garbage collector found at least one beverage container, which is incredibly concerning. An effective deposit-back scheme would bring the UK one step closer to a circular economy model and dramatically reduce the volume of single-use pollution on UK streets, parks and beaches. “
The 5 most common rubbish items found on UK beaches
1 Plastic and polystyrene pieces (0-50cm) – 167.2 found per 100 meters of surveyed beach
2 Plastic and polystyrene caps and caps – 19.7
3 wet wipes – 17.7
4 cigarette butts – 16.2
5 Plastic rope – 15.8
