The number of plastic bags found on UK beaches has dropped by nearly half compared to a year ago, according to the Marine Conservation Society (MCS, Ross-on-Wye / UK; www.mcsuk.org). The charity’s Great British Beach Clean annual survey found just under seven bags per 100 metres of coastline cleaned, compared from an average of 11 bags last year. This is a 40% drop year-on-year and the lowest number in 10 years.

News broadcaster BBC quoted MCS beach watch manager Lauren Eyles as saying: “We’ve seen a significant drop in the number and that can only be as a result of the 5p charge. It vindicates the charge, which we predicted would be good news for the marine environment.” The 5p levy was introduced in Wales in 2011, Northern Ireland in 2013, Scotland in 2014 and finally in England in 2015. In Wales, the number of bags found – just under four bags for every 100 metres cleaned – was lower than any other year since 2011.

However, despite the positive findings on plastic bags, the quantity of drinks containers found on UK beaches – including plastic bottles and bottle tops – had risen by 4% from last year. There was also a 53% rise in the amount of balloon-related litter. In its top 10 of litter items collected per 100 metres, plastic/PS pieces were in first place with just over 204 items, with caps and lids in fourth place at around 35. Plastic cotton bud sticks were sixth at nearly 24 and plastic drinks bottles were in 10th position with 12.5.

The Great British Clean takes place all along the coast every year. This September, around 6,000 volunteers cleaned 364 beaches, recording the litter they found.