For the first time in the town’s history Bournemouth has been listed on the Great Dorset Beach Clean list.
Organised by Dorset Countryside Ranger Service, the 26-year-old annually local activity is scheduled for 21 April in 2013 with 25 beaches on the Dorset coast involved.
Coordinator of Great Dorset Beach Clean, Purbeck Coastal Ranger Jenny Penney, said: “Bournemouth beach is great and it gets so many international visitors and has a lot of attractions. So many people go there. Obviously, they want to see a clean beach.”
“The main purpose is to clean the beach for the Spring, to cherish tourism and make people more aware of the litter problem on our beaches, and hope that people will improve their ways.”
Last year, about 700 volunteers took part in this activity.
Most rubbish picked up on the beaches came on shore with the tides along with some fly tipped or left behind after beach picnics. Rubbish came from different countries including France, Germany and Russia.
According to Mrs Penny plastic rubbish is the worst pollution on Dorset’s beaches. She said: “Every year we get a huge percentage of plastics, and also we have glasses and shipping ropes. If the beach lies in an urban area, then we get newspapers and picnic debris.”
If you are interested in joining in with the activity this year, go to the meeting point at Bournemouth Pier Entrance at 10am on 21 April. The activity is in support of the Litter free coast and sea project.
Main image by Big-ashb.
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