Strandliners is also delivering a ‘Preventing Plastic Pollution’ project, working with The Ouse & Adur Rivers Trust. This project is the first of its kind along the south coast of the UK, and the north coast of France, recording environmental plastic pollution across river catchments.
Why?
60% to 80% of coastal plastic pollution has inland sources and rivers are a major pathway. If all plastic waste in the environment is picked, bagged and binned, little proactive mitigation is possible, whereas if the plastic pollution is identified and recorded, reduction strategies can be planned at local and national scales.
What have we been doing?
We have been visiting different areas of the Ouse and Adur catchments, delivering presentations, followed by a litter-pick and survey.
Where are we working?
Hassocks (Herring stream) Wednesday 12th October 2022, 10 am to 2 pm – presentation, pick & surveys
Steyning (Tanyard stream) Friday 14th October 2022, 10 am to 2 pm – presentation, pick & survey
Shoreham (Adur estuary) Sunday 16th October 2022, 10 am to 2 pm – presentation, pick & surveys
Lewes (Ouse) Tuesday 18th October 2022, 10 am to 2 pm – presentation, pick & surveys
Lewes, Kings Church, Tuesday 15th November 2022, 7.30 pm – presentation
Lewes, Sunday 20th November, from 10 am – litter pick and survey with Malling Litter Pickers
More dates to be announced
What do people say about our events?
Quotes from recent participants include:
“The background information gives a rationale for it all.”
“The presentation gave a context (and lots of new information).”
“Made the business of ‘litter-picking’ into a far more important setting.”
“Very interested in the process of surveying/citizen science.”
“Excellent day, well-run, informative event, thank you.”
“This is not just a litter-pick, but an audit, ultimately aiming for change.”
What have we found so far?
Here is a short summary of the plastic data so far from the Advanced Litter Count surveys. Note that the weight collected at Lewes was skewed by three heavy items.
We have also carried out three brand audits, looking at the most polluting brands, the categories of the litter collected and the plastic polymers.
Note that the ‘other’ category includes small, unidentifiable pieces of plastic.
Cleaner Rivers, Cleaner Seas 