Conservationists: 量 of beach litter is 落ちるing but more needs to be done
The 量 of litter on British beaches is 落ちるing, but conservationists are calling for more 活動／戦闘 to 取り組む the plastic that makes up three ４半期/4分の1s of rubbish on our shores.
The 海洋 自然保護 Society (MCS) said more than 6,000 volunteers took part in its 年次の “広大な／多数の／重要な British beach clean” in September, collecting a total of 5,065 キログラムs of litter.
The 普通の／平均（する） 量 of rubbish is dropping year on year, によれば the clean-up and 調査する which 設立する an 普通の／平均（する） of 385 items per 100-metre stretch of beach this year, 負かす／撃墜する from 425 items in 2020 and 558 in 2019.
And it appears 成果／努力s to 抑制（する） problem plastic waste such as cotton bud sticks and 選び出す／独身 use 捕らえる、獲得するs are having an 衝撃, with a 落ちる in those types of litter, the MCS said.
But with 75% of all the items collected in the beach cleans made of plastic or polystyrene, the 自然保護 charity is calling for ambitious 政策s that would 段階 out the 製造（する） and sale of plastic 製品s in the UK.
The five most ありふれた litter items on UK beaches were plastic or polystyrene pieces which made up 112 items per 100 metres on 普通の／平均（する）, followed by cigarette stubs, crisp and 甘い packets and lolly sticks, plastic caps and lids and string or cord.
Cotton bud sticks moved out of the UK’s 最高の，を越す 10 most ありふれた items of rubbish this year, with the number 記録，記録的な／記録するd the lowest in the beach clean’s 28-year history.
Just six sticks were 設立する per 100 metres of 調査するd beach ? 負かす／撃墜する from 15 in 2020, which the MCS said was an 指示，表示する物 政策s to 無法者 plastic cotton buds ? by Scotland in 2019, followed by England last year ? were working.
Numbers of 選び出す／独身-use plastic 捕らえる、獲得するs on beaches have also continued to 減少（する）, from an 普通の／平均（する） of 13 per stretch of beach in 2013 to just three in 2021.
Levels of personal 保護の 器具／備品 (PPE) 設立する littered on beaches were 類似の to 2020 when masks were made 義務的な across the UK because of the pandemi c.
Nearly a third (32%) of beaches cleaned in the 年次の event 設立する PPE litter, although masks were 井戸／弁護士席 負かす／撃墜する the 名簿（に載せる）／表（にあげる） of the most ありふれた rubbish items 設立する, 最高位の 59th out of 121.
Lizzie 事前の, beachwatch 経営者／支配人 at the 海洋 自然保護 Society said: “The 現在進行中の downward 傾向 we’re seeing in litter levels on UK beaches is a 肯定的な 調印する that the 活動／戦闘s we’re taking at a personal, 地元の and 国家の level are working.
“But we can’t sit 支援する and relax, now is the time for even more ambitious 活動／戦闘.”
Dr Laura Foster, 長，率いる of clean seas at the 海洋 自然保護 Society, 警告するd: “政府s’ 現在の piecemeal approach to 選び出す／独身-use plastics 政策 just won’t 削減（する） it anymore.
“While we’re seeing a downward 傾向 in litter on beaches, we’re still seeing 抱擁する 容積／容量s of plastic washing up on our shores.”
She said 包括的な and ambitious 選び出す／独身-use plastics 政策s which 減ずる the 製造（する） and sale of throwaway items was the quickest way of 段階ing out plastic from the 環境.
There should be a 転換 away from 選び出す／独身-use items to having only reusable 選択s 利用できる for things like cutlery, refillable and reusable コンテナs 存在 the norm and かかわり合いs for all 一括ing to be reusable or recyclable, MCS said.
An 環境 Department (Defra) spokesperson said: “We’re pleased to see the 量 of litter 存在 設立する on our beaches dropping and the 肯定的な 衝撃 of our 政策s such as the 選び出す／独身-use, 運送／保菌者 捕らえる、獲得する 告発（する），告訴（する）／料金.”
The spokesperson said the 政府 had 開始する，打ち上げるd a public 協議 on 提案s to 禁止（する） a 範囲 of 選び出す／独身-use, plastic items 含むing plates and cutlery, and a call for 証拠 on other plastics such as wet wipes and タバコ filters.
The new 環境 行為／法令／行動する has 力／強力にするs to introduce a deposit return 計画／陰謀 for 瓶／封じ込めるs and make companies more 責任がある the 一括ing they produce.
