2 children engaging in an educational coastal activity known as rock pooling. The gil has a yellow bucket next to her.

World Ocean Week 2026

In June 2026, we planned a week-long celebration to honour World Ocean Day and highlight the UK’s game-changing Deposit Return Schemes coming into effect in 2027.

    Action for the ocean

    We want to thank all those who took part in an event, collected litter from our streets and beaches or celebrated our seas during our first ever World Ocean Week.

    Together, we reached over 4,000 young people and recorded 6,247 litter items in communities across the UK. A fantastic team effort!

    There were also opportunities to get creative or get involved in citizen science activities, as well as online events that covered topics including creative writing, marine-themed crafts, policy and advocacy and Big Seaweed Search training sessions, reaching 4,737 people throughout the week.

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    events, beach cleans and litter surveys

    4,737

    total attendees at events

    6,247

    litter items recorded

    • A top down view of 2 pple looking at native oysters on a beach

      Oyster observer citizen science

      Image credit: Caitlin Godfrey

    • Six colourful zine front covers with different animals on them including a basking shark and a sea slug

      A selection of ocean zines created by children at a school

      Image credit: Kirsty Crawford

    • A group of young adults crouching looking at seaweed and taking part in the Big Seaweed search.

      Big Seaweed Search Citizen science

      Image credit: Caitlin Godfrey

    Deposit Return Schemes

    In April 2024, all four UK nations committed to introducing Deposit Return Schemes (DRS) by October 2027 for metal and plastic drinks containers.

    There have already been major delays to the schemes’ introduction – and we need to keep up the pressure to make sure DRS becomes a reality by the deadline in 2027.

    As part of this year’s World Ocean Week, keen young people across the UK came up with a creative design for a poster raising awareness of the schemes and why we should all use them when they come into effect. These posters were entered into our competition and our judges selected a winning entry in two age categories: under 16s and age 16 and over.

    Watch this space for more information on our winners!

    What is a Deposit Return Scheme?

    A Deposit Return Scheme is a system where you pay a small deposit on top of the price of a drink. When finished, you return the drinks container to a collection point – like a supermarket or shop – and get the deposit back. It’s a simple but effective system that reduces littering, puts value on what’s commonly seen as ‘worthless’, and encourages people to pick up drinks litter that they find.

    Learn more about Deposit Return Schemes
    A female stands facing the camera wearing a white t-shirt that says "Have you got the bottle?". She has her arms raised and she is holding two bags filled with plastic bottles

    Fraser Bremner for APRS  |  Image credit: A woman holding up bags of cans

    Get involved in your community

    A large group of approximately 30 volunteers participating in a beach clean event stand smiling on a pebble beach, many holding litter pickers and bags, with a pier visible in the background.

    Beach cleans

    Join one of our beach clean surveys and help keep Britain's beaches beautiful and our ocean safe for wildlife.
    A woman in a yellow jumper holding up a plastic bottle to the camera using a litter picker. She is in front of the river at Festival Pier, London

    Source to Sea Litter Survey

    No matter where you live across the UK, you can help protect our ocean. Most of the litter that ends up on our beaches or in the sea starts its journey in villages, towns and cities miles from the coast.
    Sue Burton stands next to a schoolchild in a classroom. She is showing them a vial of water. On the table in front of them are beakers of water and water quality checking equipment

    Book a workshop

    Our workshops are a great opportunity for young people to learn more about the UK's amazing seas and how to look after them