The Marine Conservation Society (MCS) has recorded an 80% drop in carrier bags found washed up on UK beaches since charges were introduced over a decade ago.
An average of one plastic bag was found along every 100 metres of coastline surveyed last year, compared to five in 2014.
The new data comes from the ocean charity's beach litter survey, one of the largest marine citizen science activities in the UK.
“It is brilliant to see policies on single-use plastics such as carrier bag charges working," says Lizzie Price, Beachwatch Manager at the MCS, "but we cannot afford to rest on our laurels."
Price adds that drinks-related litter, such as bottles and cans, were found on 97% of UK beaches last year, and 9 out of 10 beach litter items were made from plastic.
"We need broader policies that charge or ban more single-use items where possible such as the proposed deposit return schemes for plastic bottles, cans and glass. We must move quicker towards a society that repairs reuses and recycles," says Price.
The MCS are hopeful that a ban on plastic cutlery, balloon sticks, polystyrene cups and food containers in England last year – and similar bans in Scotland in 2022 and Wales in 2023 – will see an even further reduction in the amount of single-use plastic found on UK shores in the future.
The charity's beach cleaning initiative takes place year-round, with an additional boost of data coming from the annual Great British Beach Clean. This year the beach clean runs from 20–29 September.
More than 100 beach cleans have already been organised across the UK during ahead of the Great British Beach Clean. Discover more information on how you can sign up to a beach clean – or run your own.
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