Single-Use Plastic Waste On UK And Channel Island Beaches Up Nearly 10% YOY In 2024
Single-use plastic waste increased on UK and Channel Island beaches last year with items such as crisp packets and bottle tops polluting the coast at the rate of almost two items a sq metre, according to data from beach cleanups.
The amount of plastic waste collected on beaches rose by 9.5% in 2024, compared with 2023, and more than three-quarters of a million pieces of waste were picked up by volunteers, according to evidence from the State of our Beaches report by the Marine Conservation Society.
The charity said nearly half (46%) of the plastic waste was from public sources – household litter washing its way into our seas via rivers, drainage and sewage outlets, or blown or dropped on to our coastline.
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Plastics endanger marine life through ingestion, entanglement and toxic contamination. Seabirds, seals and fish often mistake plastic for food, leading to internal injuries, starvation and even death. Microplastics – tiny particles that come from broken-down plastic – are now present in the ocean and food chain, posing a long-term threat to wildlife and human health. Microplastics are now increasingly contaminating the human brain.
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https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2025/mar/19/single-use-plastic-waste-on-uk-and-channel-island-beaches-up-by-95-last-year