The Orkney Islands are renowned for their dramatic coastlines and rich marine environment, but their exposed position in the North Atlantic also means they receive a constant influx of marine debris. Powerful tides, prevailing winds, and winter storms transport litter from across the ocean, depositing it on some of the most remote and inaccessible beaches around the local islands.
Over the coming months, my partner and I will be visiting beaches across the Orkney Islands in an attempt to remove as much as possible while collecting data on what is washing ashore. By recording the type, quantity, and weight of litter at each location, we hope to build a clearer picture of how marine waste is distributed across the islands and identify which coastlines are most affected.
Our first clean took place on Shapinsay, where reaching the beach was only half the challenge. Carrying bags of rubbish, ropes, and other debris back across rough terrain to the car reminded us why many of these beaches remain untouched. The difficult access means they are rarely cleaned, allowing waste to accumulate for years. While physically demanding, that challenge makes each clean even more rewarding, knowing we're helping restore places that would otherwise be overlooked.
Across Orkney, Greener Orkney already organises community beach cleans every two weeks, bringing together local volunteers to help keep our shores clean. Their work is invaluable, and this project is intended to complement those efforts rather than duplicate them. By focusing on more remote and difficult-to-access beaches, we hope to extend the reach of existing community initiatives and help remove debris from locations that are less likely to receive regular clean-ups.
As the project develops, our aim is to visit as many islands and beaches as possible, building a record of the total amount of waste removed from each island. Alongside removing litter, we hope the data collected will provide valuable insight into the sources and distribution of marine debris around Orkney, helping to identify pollution hotspots and support future conservation efforts. Every bag of litter removed is a small step towards protecting Orkney's unique coastline for wildlife, local communities, and future generations.