SeaFrance staff and local residents have braved the cold weather to carry out their quarterly spring clean of Kingsdown beach in Kent. The clean up is part of the Marine Conservation Society’s (MCS) Beachwatch programme.
SeaFrance is lead sponsor of the Beachwatch project and regularly encourage staff to join local residents at Kingsdown to clean the beach and help monitor litter levels there.
The information from beach cleans across the UK is used by MCS to identify the main sources of litter and most common litter items. The results then help to tackle beach litter at local, national and international levels. .
28 hardy litter pickers took part in the Kingsdown clean on March 16th and picked up over 37 sacks of litter, the majority of which were pieces of plastic and plastic netting.
MCS’s Corporate Fundraising Account Manager, Katherine Stephenson says she’s delighted with the clean up operation. “It's been so rewarding working with SeaFrance and they are genuinely engaged in our beach clean work at every level. I'm looking forward to their Summer clean already!"
SeaFrance Managing Director, Robin Wilkins, said that these plastic bits may never biodegrade. “Some sea areas contain over 46,000 pieces of plastic litter in every square mile of ocean, and this plastic has a devastating effect on sea life. Seabirds mistake floating plastic litter for food, or become entangled in plastic netting, often with fatal results. We believe the work of the Marine Conservation Society is vital in raising awareness of the damage that litter can do to our marine life.”
Details of the next beach clean and monitor at Kingsdown will be posted on the SeaFrance website, www.seafrance.com If you’d like to get involved in a beach clean near you then visit http://www.mcsuk.org/what_we_do/clean+seas+and+beaches
