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Record numbers clean up in 25th Great British Beach Clean

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Results show community clean-ups have made a dent in beach litter figures this year, but charity stresses this masks a growing plastic litter trend

The Marine Conservation Society (MCS) says their Great British Beach Clean, run in partnership with Waitrose, was the biggest mass participation beach clean and survey event the UK has ever witnessed. The charity says the event, held over four days in September, involved just short of 15,000 volunteers – double the number in 2017.

At many of the 494 beaches that were cleaned and surveyed around the UK coast (155 more than in 2017), there were well over 100 volunteers – amongst the highest the charity has ever seen on individual beaches. The biggest turnouts were 306 volunteers at Pegwell Bay, Kent; 270 at Severn Beach, Gloucestershire; 155 at Swansea Bay and 146 at Ayr, South Ayrshire.

8,550 kgs of litter was picked up across the whole of the UK – that’s about three times as heavy as the tongue of a blue whale – the largest animal ever known to have lived on earth.

Volunteer cleaners picked up an average of 600 items of litter on every 100m surveyed. But although the volunteer number and events rose, the amount of litter collected actually dropped.

Lizzie Prior, MCS Beach and River Clean-up Project Officer, says although a drop in litter sounds like good news, it is in fact anything but: “In 2017 our volunteers picked up an average of 717 items of litter for every 100m they cleaned and surveyed, this year that figure dropped by 16%. But it’s almost certainly a false dawn. UK governments must certainly not think the crisis is over and slow down or shelve any much-needed litter legislation.

“Litter levels fluctuate year on year and for the last decade have risen by over 15% .The Great British Beach Clean is just a snapshot of the UK litter story and must be seen in the context of the broader trending picture. There’s more litter in our seas than there has ever been.”

But, says Lizzie, the sheer number of people who turned out shows that the mental tide on litter really is turning: ‘Picking up litter at the beach is now bang on trend. Social media feeds are filled with people’s pictures of what they find at the coast, on rivers and at sea. Finally, beach cleaning is cool and mainstream. So, we may have found less litter this year because so many more people are cleaning beaches whenever and wherever they can!”


MCS says the UK cannot beach clean its way out of our beach litter crisis. Following the iconic BBC Blue Planet II series, Drowning in Plastic documentary and Sky’s Ocean Rescue campaign, we now know the damage our ‘throwaway’ culture has done to our seas and urgently need to reduce the amount of plastic we produce. The charity says one element of the solution is to create a genuine circular economy system in the UK where ‘waste’ is valued as a resource and used time and time again rather than polluting our countryside, coasts and seas.

A Deposit Return Scheme (DRS) is under development in Scotland and has been promised for England. MCS says the Government now has a golden opportunity to bring in the best system possible – one that will include all bottles and cans. This will not only ensure maximum participation and minimum confusion but will also mean that we see the greatest economic benefits in terms of cost savings, job creation and boosting the development of a domestic recycling infrastructure. A Defra consultation on DRS is expected in the coming months.

In England, there’s currently a Defra consultation taking place to gather people’s views on proposals to ban the distribution and/or sale of plastic straws, plastic-stemmed cotton buds (7th in the Top 10 list of beach litter finds this year) and plastic drink stirrers.

On average, for every 100 metres of the UK coastline cleaned there were:

  • nearly 189 plastic/polystyrene pieces
  • 38 plastic caps /lids
  • 21 cotton bud sticks
  • 16 drinks bottles and cans
  • 12 wet wipes
  • 5 plastic bags
  • 3 plastic / polystyrene cups

Lizzie Prior says we must not let the impetus to solve the ocean pollution crisis slow down:

It feels that we are on the precipice of being able to make positive changes when it comes to our plastic addiction. We’ve been blown away by the number of people who are cleaning the UK’s beaches either at organised events like the Great British Beach Clean or just at random trips to the beach.“Disappointingly, the recent budget only included one potential measure for reducing plastic usage, despite the huge response to the recent call for evidence. It’s more important than ever that we make governments aware of what a colossal mistake dragging their feet on bans, taxes and incentives on single use plastic will be for our seas.”

For more information about the Marine Conservation Society please visit their website by clicking here.

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Dived Up Publications announces the release of The Diver and the Cookby Lasse Spang Olsen

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The Diver and the Cook

A ship lost. No survivors. A grim recovery mission begins, pushing a team of commercial divers well beyond their comfort zone.

Braving treacherous conditions, saturation diver Nico van Heerden single-handedly combs the cramped, debris-strewn, zero-visibility Jascon 4 shipwreck searching for any sign of the lost crew.

Then, in a scene akin to a horror movie, while exploring a small, isolated compartment, Nico feels a tap on his shoulder. Could someone have survived underwater for over sixty hours?

The Diver & the Cook is the incredible true story of a seemingly impossible underwater rescue. With first-hand accounts, authentic images and detailed reconstructions, author and documentary maker Lasse Spang Olsen brings this gripping tale to life. The book is the result of over four years of work, including intensive interviews, access to previously unknown material, and deep study of conversations and film recorded during the actual incident.

Witness the unwavering determination of the human spirit as Jascon 4 galley chef, Harrison Okene, fights for survival after his ship goes down. Meanwhile, rookie saturation diver Nico van Heerden faces a daunting challenge: spearheading the rescue mission in a perilous underwater environment. With time running out, what rules must the dive team break to save Harrison before it’s too late?

An unprecedented operation, this story provides a unique perspective on the dangers and challenges faced by divers, showing the importance of teamwork and communication in high-risk situations. An incredible survival story against all odds, with an equally surprising aftermath.

Quote from the author, documentary-maker Lasse Spang Olsen:

“There are a whole lot of different versions of this story out there. But I believe that by speaking directly to the key people involved, creating meticulous reconstructions and doing original research we have dug much deeper and got far closer to the truth about the rescue and the sinking than anyone has ever managed to before.”

About the author

Author and veteran filmmaker Lasse Spang Olsen – in a 40+ year career – has participated in stunts and FX on over 600 films, directed eleven features and filmed extensively underwater. He’s led expeditions uncovering historical mysteries like the Flying Enterprise wreck and documented adventures worldwide. He’s also a producer and lecturer. Originally published in Denmark as Dykkeren of Kokken (February 2024), this is his fourth book.

The Diver and the Cook (ISBN 978-1-909455-61-0) is released on 12 November 2024 in paperback and ebook. It is available via online retailers, bookstores, from DivedUp.com and to the dive trade via Nautilus UK.

Dived Up Publications website: www.DivedUp.com
Facebook @DivedUpPublications / Insta @diveduppubs / X @DivedUp / TikTok @divedup

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Spooktacular Underwater Adventure: Oyster Diving’s First Halloween Scuba Party at Mercers Lake

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halloween

Last Thursday, Oyster Diving transformed Mercers Lake into a hauntingly unforgettable underwater realm for their inaugural Halloween Scuba Party. Approximately 20 intrepid divers plunged into the darkness, weaving through a mesmerising scene of spectral decorations, glow sticks, and eerie underwater pumpkins.

halloween halloween

After the thrilling night dive, participants gathered to feast on a ghoulish spread of pumpkin soup, chilli con carne, and decadent fudge brownies, perfect fuel for the frightful festivities.

halloween

With a resounding success, Oyster Diving is excited to announce plans for this event to become an annual tradition. Next year, look forward to a fully licensed bar and live music, promising an even spookier celebration under the moonlit waters.

halloween

Join us next Halloween for an experience that promises to be a haunting delight!

Find out more about Oyster Diving at oysterdiving.com.

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