‘Zero waste’ campaign to be carried out at Brighton beach to deter littering

A zero waste beach initiative is being carried out this weekend to educate the public on the dangers of littering.

Brighton and Hove City Council has teamed up with Surfers Against Sewage and Leave No Trace Brighton for the scheme.

On Saturday, the council’s environmental enforcement officers will patrol the beach between the Palace and West Piers which will be marked off as a ‘Zero Waste Beach Zone’.

They will talk to people but also hand out £150 fines for those who still choose to leave waste. At the same time, volunteers from Leave No Trace Brighton and Surfers Against Sewage will be running beach cleans and encouraging beach goers to remove their own rubbish.

The council says that despite repeated calls for people to bin their rubbish responsibly or take it home, huge amounts of litter can still be seen on a daily basis while walking along the seafront.

Not only is rubbish being left piled up around overflowing bins, it’s also strewn around the beach, leaving the sea and the life that lives there at risk.

Some people still remain unaware - or don’t care - about the damage that leaving their waste behind can cause.

But by working to educate the public, Leave No Trace Brighton, SAS and the council hope to encourage people to be more aware of their behaviours, and keep our beaches cleaner.

Stuart Davies, from SAS, said: “This is a great initiative to spotlight the issue of waste on our precious marine environment, to educate and guide those that their impact really does make a difference.”

Coral Evans, from Leave No Trace Brighton, added: “A vast percentage of waste, most of it single-use (plastic) packaging, is left on the beach by members of the public with little regard for the health of Brighton & Hove’s coastal environment, it’s wildlife or the 500 plus bins that stretch the length of Brighton & Hove seafront.

“Waste reduction is key in our efforts to become a low carbon society and to reduce ocean pollution.

“We think the Zero Waste Beach Initiative will be a great way to engage the public and raise awareness of these environmental issues.”

Council leader Phélim Mac Cafferty said: “With more than 500 bins along the seafront, more collections, CCTV and clear warnings about fines, there’s simply no excuse for littering.

“Yet this year has seen the highest amount of rubbish ever collected from the beach in one weekend, as some people seem to think it’s acceptable to leave their waste behind.

“Litter isn’t someone else’s problem. Keeping our beaches and seafront clean, tidy and litter free is one of the most important ways we can protect nature and ensure our beautiful beach and seafront can be enjoyed for years to come.

“So this weekend’s Zero Waste Beach campaign once again sends the clearest possible message: dumping your waste on the seafront is unacceptable.

“From taking part in the beach cleans to learning how to reduce waste, the Zero Waste Beach is another way we can all play our part to stop litter and the damage it causes.”