The UK government has revealed a ground-breaking ban which will see the end of plastic straws, drink stirrers and cotton buds on the high street in England from next April. The move is a key step in the Government’s strategy to tackle single-use plastic, as shocking statistics highlight the amount of plastic being consumed by […]
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Meet the Junior Plastic Free Heroes Inspiring their Communities
Across the UK, over 500 communities are empowering individuals, businesses and organisations to take action on single-use, avoidable plastic. The Plastic Free Communities movement is open to all and it’s encouraging to see so many people get involved, from all walks of life and of all ages. Something that’s particularly exciting is a new breed […]
Water quality alerts in the palm of your hand – Relaunch of the Safer Seas Service
Launching at the start of the UK bathing season, the Safer Seas Service app empowers water users to make informed decisions on where and when it is safe to use the sea. For the first time, the service covers Scottish beaches increasing coverage to more than 350 locations across the UK. In the last year […]
Research reveals Coca Cola and PepsiCo responsible for 25% of packaging pollution found on UK beaches
New research has revealed how products from just a handful of companies account for more than half of packaging pollution found on UK beaches – with Coca Cola and PepsiCo named the worst offenders. The figures, unveiled by ocean conservation charity Surfers Against Sewage, have been submitted to government as campaigners call for transparency from […]
Duke and Duchess of Cambridge join Surfers Against Sewage beach clean
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge joined pupils from a local primary school on a beach clean organised by SAS today in Anglesey. In April, Anglesey became the first county in the UK to be awarded Plastic Free Community status by SAS, in recognition of its work to reduce the impact of single-use plastic on […]
Fight to crack down on plastic pollution steps into the classroom with new lesson plans
New lesson plans encouraging children to think about plastic pollution and lead the way on climate change are being taken to the classroom. Here at Surfers Against Sewage (SAS) we have created five lesson strategies, following requests from students and teachers to expand on the Plastic Free Schools programme. Up until now, the […]
CAMPAIGN WIN: SCOTLAND SETS OUT AMBITIOUS PLANS FOR DEPOSIT RETURN SCHEME
Scotland is set to become the first country in the UK to introduce a deposit return scheme (DRS) for drinks cans and bottles. The new scheme includes a 20p cost on drinks, which is refunded if the customer returns their container to a collection point. The ambitious scheme is based on successful international equivalents – which […]
Have your say on Defra’s deposit return scheme consultations
As part of the Resources and Waste Strategy, The Department of Environment, Farming and Rural Affairs is currently consulting on the introduction of a Deposit Return Scheme which could significantly impact of the amount of packaging pollution we see on our beaches and in our rivers and seas. The proposal could see England and […]
Killed & injured by plastic pollution: individual animal stories
Warning: Graphic Images. This story feed will be updated throughout May 2019. Last updated: May 23rd One marine mammal or sea bird dies every 30 seconds due to plastic pollution. As our powerful new film #TheCreature reminds us, behind these hard-hitting statistics are individual animals with their own stories. Stories with the power to inspire […]
The 95%: How one short film is fighting the battle for sea creatures yet to be discovered
The fight to save 100,000 marine mammals that die of plastic every year unnecessarily is being brought to the people as a new film highlights how even creatures not yet discovered are being affected by plastic pollution. The figure, quoted by UNESCO, also states that one million seabirds are dying as a result of plastic […]