Report Indicates Plastic Dominates Litter in Guernsey’s Waters

An annual survey has revealed that plastic constituted more than three-quarters of the litter discovered in Guernsey’s waters, according to a new report. The Clean Earth Trust, in its 2023 marine litter report, which aims to gather data on pollution, stated that 27,969 pieces of refuse, weighing over 600kg (1,320lbs), were collected from 40 beaches. Of these, 80% were identified as various forms of plastic. Hard plastic was the most frequently found item, with approximately 8,210 pieces recorded, followed by cigarette butts (2,550), which could incur £178,500 in littering fines; plastic food wrappers (1,972); small plastic fragments (1,532); and rope pieces (1,354). This figure, however, marks a decrease from the 2022 report, which documented nearly 40,000 pieces of litter. The trust reported that an average of 168 items of rubbish were found during each volunteer-led survey, with more than half of these items having an unknown origin. Fern Nicholson, the Clean Earth Trust’s beach clean team lead, commented: “We encourage everyone to do their part by minimising waste, and picking up litter whenever and wherever you can.” Andrew Munro, a trustee of Clean Earth, noted that while marine litter remains “a significant issue” for local beaches, the report highlights the importance of “ongoing community efforts to manage and reduce waste.” For further information, BBC Guernsey can be followed on X and Facebook. Story ideas can be sent to channel.islands@bbc.co.uk. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read about our approach to external linking.