Thursday 22 March 2012
The Marine Conservation Society's National Beachwatch Big Weekend survey took place on 17 and 18 September 2011. A total of 24 beaches were cleaned and surveyed in the Channel Islands, of those 17 were in Guernsey, 1 on Alderney, 5 on Herm, and 1 in Jersey.
An average of 544.8 litter items per kilometre were recorded on Channel Island beaches in the 2011 Beachwatch survey, a significant decrease from the 2010 survey average of 1,015 items per kilometre. The UK average was 1,741 items per kilometre in 2011.
Once again the Channel Islands recorded the lowest density for Sewage Related Debris (SRD) in Britain at 1% of total litter. The UK average for SRD on the British coastline in 2011 was 5.4% of total litter. The highest level of SRD recorded was in Northern Ireland where SRD was 12.2% of all beach litter found in the survey. This highlights once again the very low contribution sewage litter makes to Guernsey's beaches.
Litter from beach visitors was again the main litter source recorded representing 32.1% of all litter recorded in the Channel Islands in 2011, an increase of 8.9% on the 2010 survey results.
Fishing litter was again the second largest source of litter recorded in the Channel Islands at 14.1% of total found, a 9% increase over the results in 2010.
There was great support for Beachwatch throughout the Bailiwick with nearly three hundred people turning out to clean up around the Bailiwick over the weekend.
The Environment Minister, Deputy Peter Sirett, said:
"It's pleasing to see the reduction in the number of litter items found on the Island's beaches during the Beachwatch survey last year. With the introduction of more recycling bins in some of the coastal car parks last year it has been easier for people to dispose of their rubbish and this may in part account for the improvement over previous years.
The Bailiwick consistently demonstrates that its beaches are the least affected in Britain by litter. However, yet again it is visitor litter that has been proven to be the main culprit, with nearly half of all items found wholly avoidable if people would just take the trouble to take their rubbish away with them.
Our beaches are beautiful and the States Works team do an excellent job in keeping our beaches clean all year round. As we approach the Easter holiday season, when many of us traditionally start going to the beach again, I'd ask everyone to do the right thing - take all your rubbish with you, leave nothing but footprints."
Nationally 60% of all litter found during Beachwatch 2011 was plastic. Since 1998 plastic pieces have been the number one item found at every Beachwatch survey. Plastics are a persistent pollutant and some will take many years to biodegrade. Some plastics will never leave the marine environment, they will eventually become microscopic but will still continue to do damage as they are ingested by fish and other marine life.
Anyone wanting to help keep Guernsey's coasts at their best should contact the Environment Department for details of this year's Summer Coastal Clean up on 7-8 and 14-15 July. This year's Beachwatch Big Weekend annual litter survey and clean-up will take place on 15th-16th September. Contact the Environment Department for details of both events.
Contact Information:
Environmental Services Unit
Environment Department
Tel: 717200
E-mail: env@gov.gg