press release
    8th June 2004

It's World Oceans Day on June 8th and Surfers Against Sewage (SAS) are asking everyone to pause for thought about the importance of protecting our oceans from the threats they face and to take some simple actions to reduce their environmental impact on the oceans. World Oceans day was declared 10 years ago at the United Nations Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro as a time to remember the life giving role of oceans worldwide. It is now widely celebrated across the globe. There's lots of easy things we can all do to minimise our impact on the World's Oceans.

Here's SAS's Top 10!

IF YOU WITNESS A WATER POLLUTION INCIDENT, PERHAPS WHERE UNTREATED SEWAGE IS ENTERING A BEACH OR STREAM THEN PHONE THE ENVIRONMENT AGENCY'S POLLUTION HOTLINE ON FREEPHONE 0800 807060. ALSO LET SAS KNOW WHAT YOU'VE SEEN ON 0845 4583001.

RIP UP AND BIN ANY PLASTIC RING HOLDERS FROM CANS YOU MIGHT FIND. IF THEY GET INTO THE SEA THEY'LL POSE A REAL DANGER TO WILDLIFE, WHO CAN GET THEIR HEADS STUCK IN THEM AND CAN CHOKE OR STARVE TO DEATH.

ORGANISE A BEACH CLEAN TO RID YOUR BEACH OF RUBBISH. YOU COULD DO THIS IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE MARINE CONSERVATION SOCIETY (01989 566017) WHO RUN A NATIONAL BEACH WATCH/CLEANING PROGRAMME. BEACH CLEANS CAN BE DONE AT ANY TIME OF THE YEAR AND ARE WELCOMED BY SAS!

USE A POCKET BEACH ASH TRAY OR BUTT BIN TO DISPOSE OR YOUR CIGARETTE BUTTS. LEFT ON THE BEACH THEY WILL FIND THEIR WAY INTO THE MARINE ENVIRONMENT POSING A THREAT TO WILDLIFE. GET A BUTT BIN ONLINE FROM SAS.

THINK BEFORE YOU FLUSH! EVERY TIME YOU FLUSH THE TOILET, YOU USE BETWEEN 15 AND 20 LITRES OF WATER. IF IT'S YELLOW LET IT MELLOW, WHEN IT'S BROWN FLUSH IT DOWN. YOU CAN REDUCE YOUR WATER CONSUMPTION BY PLACING A BRICK OR HIPPO WATER SAVER IN YOUR TOILET CISTERN. THAT WAY YOU COULD SAVE OVER 3000 LITRES OF WATER IN JUST ONE YEAR!

BAG IT AND BIN IT - PLEASE DON'T FLUSH IT. LAST YEAR OVER 75% OF TOILET DEBRIS ON BEACHES WERE FROM PLASTIC STICKS FROM COTTON BUDS. SANITARY ITEMS FLUSHED DOWN THE UK'S TOILETS ARE OFTEN DIFFICULT TO DEAL WITH AND CAN BLOCK PIPES OR END UP LITTERED ACROSS BEACHES.

GET YOUR FAMILY TO BUY GREEN/ECO FRIENDLY ALTERNATIVES TO CONVENTIONAL CLEANING PRODUCTS. MANY CLEANING PRODUCTS CAN CONTAIN BIOACCUMULATIVE CHEMICALS AND SULPHATES WHICH POLLUTE AND CAUSE ALGAL BLOOMS IN THE SEA. SOME ARE ALSO BELIEVED TO POSE A RISK TO HUMAN HEALTH.

DON'T LEAVE DOG DIRT ON THE BEACH! REMEMBER SCOOP THAT POOP!

GET YOUR FAMILY TO RECYCLE THEIR CAR OIL. IT CONTAINS TOXIC HEAVY METALS AND CAN FIND ITS WAY INTO SEWERS AND WATERCOURSES. CONTACT OIL BANK ON 0800 663366 TO FIND A RECYCLING POINT NEAR YOU.

JOIN SURFERS AGAINST SEWAGE IN THE CAMPAIGN TO WIN CLEAN AND SAFE WATER. STUDENT MEMBERSHIP COSTS AS LITTLE AS £10 FROM WHICH YOU GET A COOL STICKER, MEMBERSHIP CARD AND PIPELINE MAGAZINE FOUR TIMES A YEAR. 0845 4583001

For more information please contact Richard Hardy on Tel: 01872 553001 or Mob: 07711 767548.

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