“Oh! I do like to be beside the seaside! I do like to be beside the sea!”

By Justine MacArthur 

“Oh! I do like to be beside the seaside! I do like to be beside the sea!” as the song written in 1907 goes. And nothing has changed! Still now thousands of people flock to Bridlington south beach for its glorious stretch of gently sloping sand, relaxing, catching some sun and playing in the sea.

However, our motives were slightly different on this day, as was the image of being beside the seaside on a July Saturday, for on the beach was just a scattering of people wrapped up against the drizzle and wind while the warmth of the sun was well hidden behind persistent grey clouds. Certainly laying out sunbathing was out of the question!

We had a mission to clean a mile of the beach, chosen for its convenience for public transport and the unfortunate amount of “summer no bathing pollution warnings” in 2023, which at 19 was the highest in the East Riding. So heading south from The Spa we set out just before low tide and attempted to cover the vast width of beautiful sand and in 2hrs re-convened our small groups to discuss and safely dispose of our pickings.

Though this may not look much, what we collected represents an improvement in marine life safety and ocean health. We estimate that 75% of all waste collected was under 5cm (such as bottle caps, snack wrappers and cable ties) and approximately 50% was under 2cm (smaller pieces of wrappers, pieces of foam from toys). Of the larger plastics we have 2 spades and 1 bucket abandoned, some broken sunglasses and a mud guard from a bicycle.

Our collection represents a proverbial drop in the ocean, as the Marine Conservation Society (MCS) estimate 11million tonnes of plastics enter our ocean.  The plastic we have removed from the beach now will not be broken down further into secondary micro plastics polluting the delicate ecosystem in the North Sea and beyond. All plastic in the water is at risk be eaten by sea life, causing a range of issues in the eco system – some of these animals are then consumed by us and other animals further up the food chain.

It’s estimated that 1.5million tonnes of microplastics enter the ocean every year: MSC

“Oh I do like to stroll along the Prom, Prom, Prom! Where the brass bands play, Tiddely-om-pom-pom!” the lyrics sing. Returning back along the promenade, towards the music from the cafes on the front, very little large rubbish was visible and the council can be commended for keeping the area clean. Taking a slower walk though revealed that there was an abundance of cigarette filters and yet more plastic wrappers which we collected up along with larger discarded items such bottles, cans and other picnic waste.

Though not serenaded with wind instruments as we picked our way along the beach, we were carried on by the gratitude of other beach users and many of our members were thanked as they picked litter. This is the wind beneath our wings, admittedly the wind was sandy, and wet, and cold!

HER FOE continue the focus on water quality as part of the Friends of the Earth campaign to demand the right to a healthy environment for everyone 10am – 4pm  on the 17th August in Queen Victoria Square in Hull. We will be engaging the public with games and entertainment and seeking signatures for the record of public support for a new Environmental Rights Act.