Thousands of plastic bottles clogging up seaside locations, along with cans, glass and crisp packets, with 3,298 pieces picked up for every kilometre cleaned
The amount of rubbish found dumped on UK beaches rose by a third last year, according to a new report.
More than 8,000 plastic bottles were collected by the Marine Conservation Society’s annual beach clean-up at seaside locations from Orkney to the Channel Islands on one weekend last September.
On average, 99 bottles were picked up along every kilometrecleaned by volunteers. It is estimated that plastic bottles can take up to 500 years to break down once in the sea.
The charity’s report reveals a 34% rise in beach litter overall between 2014 and 2015, the largest ever amount of litter per kilometre (3,298 pieces) and a record-breaking number of volunteers, just over 6,000, taking part.
