MARINE CONSERVATION WOULD be greatly helped if a Deposit Return Scheme (DRS) was reintroduced for plastic, aluminium and glass containers.
That conclusion has been reached by the Marine Conservation Society, who today will launch the results of their ‘Great British Beach Clean’ which took place from September 18 to 21.
Beaches in Moray were included with volunteers joining the effort last year that saw a record 6000 taking part in 340 events around the country – and between them creating a new 21-year record with a staggering 3298 items of litter collected per kilometre of beach, a 34% increase on the previous year.
Above all other litter items collected were plastic bottles, accounting for a 43% increase on the previous year with an average of 99 bottles picked up for each kilometre of beach.
A spokeswoman for the MCS said: “This is not a trend we want to see continue and MCS believes there is a solution which has been tried and tested in other countries around the world and has been very successful in reducing single use drink containers.
“MCS wants to see the introduction of a Deposit Return System (DRS) in the UK. A DRS allows people to re-cycle plastic, aluminium and glass, by giving value to items that are often regarded as having zero worth and so are disposed of irresponsibly.”
People can follow the campaign for a DRS system in Scotland by visiting the ‘Have you got the Bottle’ campaign.
The Great British Beach Clean will return again from September 16 this year.