A huge amount of litter gets washed up on the beaches across the South West every day. It’s a true team effort keeping them clean and, as a conservation charity, the National Trust rely on local rangers, volunteers, visitors and local community groups to help clear away the litter washed up on the coast.
The national campaign run by Keep Britain Tidy is an opportunity to enthuse and inspire local communities to take part in beach cleans, as well as raise awareness to what happens to litter after it’s collected.
Jeff Cherrington, lead ranger on the North Cornwall coast, said: “Our rangers and volunteers spend hundreds of hours each year collecting rubbish from our beaches and countryside, including plastics, clothing, food packaging and more. Not only is litter an eyesore, it is deadly for wildlife, impacts tourism, and poses a threat to public health. We work closely with Keep Britain Tidy throughout the year to help with the ongoing care of these amazing places.
“The Great British Spring Clean is about communities coming together to tackle this issue head on, and we encourage people to get out in their local areas to play their part.”
Working in partnership with Keep Britain Tidy and Exeter City Council, the National Trust have been taking part in a recycling trial that has been running since the summer of 2017. On the back of this, it has been uncovered that 80% of what is found on beaches can be recycled instead of going to landfill; 7.3-tonnes of plastic has been recycled that would otherwise have gone to landfill; some of the plastic collected has gone to Imperial College to be used in 3D printing projects and being re-used to make kayaks; thanks to this trial and pre-sort of the litter found on the beaches, those involved have been able to achieve a 90% recycle rate.
Beach cleaning not only helps to improve the coastal habitat for plants and animals but also to ensure beaches that the trust cares for are clean and ready for the thousands of people that visit them. Working in partnership has allowed the trust to do this much more effectively.
The trust looks after 300 miles of the coastline in the South West and it costs around £3,000 per mile to look after the coast for people and nature every year — that is £1-million every year in the South West.
The Great British Spring Clean week is a great way to get involved and help with the ongoing care the beaches so desperately need.
Cleans will be taking place at Port Gaverne, and Sandymouth beaches tomorrow (Friday). Port Gaverne’s will take place from 11am until 1pm and Sandymouth’s will take place from 10am until 12pm.
For further information, visit www.nationaltrust.org.uk/port-quin and www.nationaltrust.org.uk/sandymouth.
Events will also be taking place at Hemmick, Pendower, Porthcurnick and Chapel Porth beaches during this weekend.
For beach clean dates throughout the year, go to www.nationaltrust.org.uk/lists/beach-cleans-in-devon-and-cornwall