To mark World Ocean Day, employees from across the General Oceans group volunteered their time to take part in coastal cleanups at locations around the world. The initiative, coordinated by the General Oceans Foundation, combined hands-on environmental action with citizen science.
Volunteers at four locations recorded data on the types of waste collected, with the information submitted to national databases (Surfers Against Sewage Million Mile Clean and Clean Up Australia). The litter surveys provided an interesting snapshot of the types of waste found at different locations.
At three UK sites, small plastic fragments were the most commonly recorded items, highlighting the widespread presence of plastic pollution in coastal environments. The data also revealed regional differences, with the Aberdeen and Barrow-in-Furness sites recording a higher proportion of fishing-related litter, such as rope, than the Portchester site, where plastics accounted for 86% of recorded items. In Sydney, cigarette butts were the most frequently recorded item followed by plastic bags and other soft plastics. While the survey methodologies differed between programmes, the results demonstrate how citizen science can provide valuable local insights into sources of marine litter.
While the scale and nature of the cleanups varied between locations, the shared goal was the same: helping to protect the coastal environments where we live and work. Thank you to all those who volunteered their time and energy to take part and contribute to a positive impact in their local communities.