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22/03/2012
Bags Of Dog Poo Littering UK Beaches
Owners are using plastic bags to clean up after their dogs, but those plastic bags and their contents are then being left behind on UK beaches.
The Marine Conservation Society (MCS) has singled this out as the biggest threat to the health and safety of beach visitors in the newly published Beachwatch Big Weekend Report.
According to the report dog excrement in bags left on UK beaches rose 11% between 2010 and 2011. Scotland recorded the biggest increase – 71% in just one year.
MCS Beachwatch officer Lauren Davis says the findings reveal good and bad habits: "We're delighted that pet owners enjoy dog-friendly beaches and clearly think ahead by carrying poop-scoop bags. But we hope our findings will now encourage them to take the bag off the beach and bin it in one of the many receptacles provided for the job.
"Leaving a bag full of poo on the beach will result in preserved excrement, protected from the elements for years by a bag which could take a long time to break down."
She also said that the let behind waste was a major health risk to humans: "We don't want children picking up bags that break open and spill their contents whether it's fresh or 'mature'. Dog poo is a source of high levels of bacteria and can lead to reduced water quality, and also poses a human health risk."
The report does reveal that despite the poop bags, overall beach litter dropped by 11% between 2010 and 2011. The charity says it hopes this will be the start of a downward trend. From an all-time high in 2008, it fell in 2009 and then rose again in 2010.
"The latest results from our weekend-long Beachwatch event held on 17 and 18 September last year are more encouraging than they have been for a while,” continued Lauren Davis. “Not only did beach litter drop overall, we also saw a substantial dip of 33% in the amount of sewage-related debris (SRD) on our beaches – that's the stuff people put down their loos but shouldn't, like cotton buds, condoms, sanitary towels and tampon applicators.
"In 2010 there was a 40% rise in SRD compared to the previous year, but after we'd highlighted the issue and urged people to change their habits, the latest data looks like the message may be getting home."
(H/GK)
The Marine Conservation Society (MCS) has singled this out as the biggest threat to the health and safety of beach visitors in the newly published Beachwatch Big Weekend Report.
According to the report dog excrement in bags left on UK beaches rose 11% between 2010 and 2011. Scotland recorded the biggest increase – 71% in just one year.
MCS Beachwatch officer Lauren Davis says the findings reveal good and bad habits: "We're delighted that pet owners enjoy dog-friendly beaches and clearly think ahead by carrying poop-scoop bags. But we hope our findings will now encourage them to take the bag off the beach and bin it in one of the many receptacles provided for the job.
"Leaving a bag full of poo on the beach will result in preserved excrement, protected from the elements for years by a bag which could take a long time to break down."
She also said that the let behind waste was a major health risk to humans: "We don't want children picking up bags that break open and spill their contents whether it's fresh or 'mature'. Dog poo is a source of high levels of bacteria and can lead to reduced water quality, and also poses a human health risk."
The report does reveal that despite the poop bags, overall beach litter dropped by 11% between 2010 and 2011. The charity says it hopes this will be the start of a downward trend. From an all-time high in 2008, it fell in 2009 and then rose again in 2010.
"The latest results from our weekend-long Beachwatch event held on 17 and 18 September last year are more encouraging than they have been for a while,” continued Lauren Davis. “Not only did beach litter drop overall, we also saw a substantial dip of 33% in the amount of sewage-related debris (SRD) on our beaches – that's the stuff people put down their loos but shouldn't, like cotton buds, condoms, sanitary towels and tampon applicators.
"In 2010 there was a 40% rise in SRD compared to the previous year, but after we'd highlighted the issue and urged people to change their habits, the latest data looks like the message may be getting home."
(H/GK)
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