Norfolk beach clean founder says action needed to rid oceans of plastic
The national survey says 70% of people saying that beach cleanliness on holiday was important to them
The founder of a community beach clean group in Norfolk is telling us that recycling incentives and heavy fines for litterers, are key to improving the health of our oceans
It comes after a survey on behalf of Thomas Cook shows that more than half of people said they'll throw-away inflatables they've brought, after their holiday
"Once it enters the ocean it breaks-down and leaks toxins into the water"
Emma Sturman lives in Caister:
"Because these are so cheap to buy, it inadvertently creates a 'throw-away culture'- where you buy one and then discard it. If these were more expensive, it would make people think twice.
"Like with any plastic once it enters the ocean it breaks-down and leaks toxins into the water. Eventually it will bring down into micro-plastics and enter the food-chain if you eat fish. These micro-plastics have even been found in human blood and the wider water supply.
"Beyond this- there are other beach toys that can be harmful to marine-life, such as the 'flying-rings' that can end up around seals necks and cut into their blubber, which they can die from".
The wider findings:
The survey by Thomas Cook and Marine Conservation Society suggests that more than a third (37%) of holiday-goers buy inflatables for their trips in the UK and abroad.
However, fewer than half of those surveyed (47%) said they would reuse or recycle the inflatable after the holiday.
When asked about how conscious they are about their impact on the local environment on holiday, 45% said there was little they felt they could do to address the problem and 34% said they would recycle inflatables if hotels offered a recycling service.
It comes despite 70% saying they found beach and sea cleanliness on holiday important while on holiday.
"Can result in severe suffering and starvation"
Sandy Luk, chief executive of the Marine Conservation Society, said: "Plastic pollution is a major threat to our ocean, with severe consequences for marine wildlife and ecosystems.
"Ingesting plastics can result in severe suffering and starvation. But we can all doing something about it by making decisions to reduce, reuse and recycle to minimise waste.
"By simply cutting down the number of inflatables we buy, and making repairs where possible, we can considerably reduce the plastic waste coming from these kinds of items."