Volunteers raise red flag over concerning discoveries on popular beaches: 'Deeply grounding'

Plastic waste is on the rise on British coastlines, according to The Guardian.

The Marine Conservation Society's annual beach clean-up event is coming soon, and it will prove to be a valuable source of data.

Surveys of volunteers from previous years showed 41% found more plastic items, 19% more vapes, 26% more fishing waste, 11% more animal waste bags, and 11% more wet wipes. Overall, plastic waste on U.K. beaches is up by 9.5% between 2023 and 2024, according to the Marine Conservation Society.

"Beachwatch data has already been used by governments across the U.K. as evidence to introduce litter reducing policy — such as the carrier bag charges and bans on certain single-use plastics, such as straws, cutlery, plates and bowls, and the recent U.K.-wide commitment to ban plastic wet wipes," wrote the Marine Conservation Society.

Plastic is a major ecosystem hazard. Animals routinely get entangled in plastic waste, often with mortal results. On top of that, plastic waste sheds particles over time. These microplastics find their way into food systems, and once ingested, contribute to digestive, renal, immune, endocrine, circulatory, and reproductive health dangers.

While recycling is a tempting route for solving the issue earlier, the process is largely inefficient. Reducing plastic use in the first place is the only sure way to put a cap on the problem. Cutting down on plastic has the added benefit of reducing oil dependency, too.

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Around 15,000 volunteers took part in the Great British Beach Clean last year. The next runs Sept. 19-28. Despite the increase in litter waste across the board, Marine Conservation Society volunteers remained resolute in their mission.

"There's something deeply grounding about standing on a shoreline and knowing that your small actions are part of something much bigger," said volunteer Isaac Kenyon, per The Guardian. "Every piece of litter picked up is one less hazard for wildlife, one less piece of plastic in the ocean, and one small step toward a healthier planet."

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