Community action for clean seas and beaches

Walk along a UK beach and, on average, you'll find 2000 pieces of litter per kilometre. Beach litter is now a problem on a global scale, has major impacts on wildlife, and costs the UK millions of pounds annually in clean up costs.

MCS has run the Adopt-A-Beach and Beachwatch campaigns against beach and marine litter since 1993, involving thousands of volunteers in beach cleans and litter surveys every year.  By recording information on the quantities and types of litter found on our beaches through a detailed survey, MCS has identified the main sources: beach visitors; fishing debris; sewage outfalls and shipping.  

With this information we have been able to target specific sources of litter and influence government policy, industry practices and help develop solutions to this modern-day environmental hazard.

Help MCS turn the tide on litter and tackle the problem at source by joining our volunteer clean up schemes:

1: Adopt-a-Beach is for anyone and everyone who enjoys going to the beach and wants to do something to improve the environment and help sea life. The Adopt-a-Beach programme organises quarterly beach cleans and litter surveys, monitoring levels of litter throughout the year and helping to reduce the problem at source.

You can either ‘adopt' your own beach as an 'Organiser', or help at an organised clean-up and survey event as a 'Volunteer'.

2: Beachwatch is an annual nation-wide beach clean-up and litter survey. It takes place once every year, over the third weekend of September. If you want to do just one beach clean and survey in the year, this is the time to do it. (Beachwatch is also carried out as one quarter of the year-round Adopt-a-Beach project).

For more information and to get involved visit Adopt-a-Beach & Beachwatch

what you can do:

• Join Adopt-A-Beach and Beachwatch.
• Reduce your use of plastic packaging, particularly plastic bags, and re-use plastic containers wherever possible.
• Participate in local waste recylcling schemes.
• Cut any plastic rings or strapping before disposa and make it safe.
• 'Bag it and Bin It': Please don't flush plastic sanitary items and cotton buds down the toilet.
• Follow the Seashore Code: Do not leave or bury any litter on beaches or allow litter to get into rivers. Contact MCS for copies of the Seashore Code.
• Keep Your Litter on Board: Find out what litter reception facilities are available at local ports and marinas. Contact the Maritime and Coastguard Agency.