The Big British Beach Clean: Why beach litter matters and how to fight it

You're walking along your favourite beach, searching for shells and sea glass, when you spot a colourful piece of plastic instead. Or maybe you're snorkelling, hoping to see your favourite fish, but find yourself swimming past a floating crisp packet. Whether you're paddleboarding, beachcombing, or simply enjoying a seaside day out, you've probably noticed something troubling, rubbish everywhere.

An estimated 12 million tonnes of litter enter our oceans every year, and it's now impossible to visit a beach without encountering some form of pollution.

We're fighting back

As young people from The Wildlife Trust of South and West Wales' Living Seas Youth Forum, we've seen this problem firsthand from our base at The Cardigan Bay Marine Wildlife Centre in New Quay. That's why we regularly organise beach cleans and work to inspire others through community events and social media. But we can't do it alone.

Why should we care?

Beyond being an eyesore that ruins your perfect beach photo, marine litter is creating serious problems for both wildlife and humans.

For our wildlife: Every year, more seabirds are dying of starvation. Not because there's no food, but because their stomachs are full of indigestible plastic. When they eat plastic, it makes them feel full, so they stop eating real food. Scientists estimate that by 2050, 99% of all seabirds will have plastic in their stomachs.

It gets worse. Fishing gear, ropes, nets, and pots becomes a deadly trap for marine animals of all sizes. From massive whales to tiny crabs, around 300,000 whales, dolphins, and porpoises die from entanglement every year. They get caught, can't escape, and face injury, starvation, or become easy targets for predators.

For us: Here's the part that might surprise you. Those fish and chips you enjoyed last weekend? The mussels from your favourite seaside restaurant? They likely contained microplastics. Hundreds of species we eat regularly now have tiny pieces of plastic in their bodies. The pollution we're putting into the ocean is literally coming back to our dinner plates.

You can make a difference

Feeling overwhelmed? Don't be. Every single action counts, no matter how small it might seem.

The Great British Beach Clean is happening from September 19th-28th, and we'd love for you to get involved.

Even if you live inland, you can still help by organising a litter pick in your local area or simply spreading the word about marine pollution on social media.

Remember: the plastic bottle you pick up today could be the one that saves a seabird's life tomorrow. Every piece of litter you remove is one less threat to our marine wildlife and one step closer to cleaner seas for everyone to enjoy.