News
Northern Ireland plastic bag levy set for 2013
MCS applauds decision by NI Government to introduce 5p levy on plastic bags. Now it's all eyes on Westminster >>More
Votes close for Welsh marine protection today
We are closing the voting for our recommended marine protected sites in Wales today. Vote now! >>More
MCS calls for ban on Chinese lanterns
MCS is urging UK authorities to follow Spain's lead and ban the sale of environmentally damaging sky lanterns >>More
Alarming new CSO figures
New information reveals the full extent of the problem of discharges of raw sewage to the environment. >>More
MCS calls for Welsh seas to be high on political agenda
MCS is among green groups demanding more resources to protect Welsh seas >> More
Action plan for marine litter on the agenda in Rio
At the 2012 UN Conference on Sustainable Development marine litter and pollution is up for debate >> More
Island scallop fisheries under the spotlight
MCS is part of Isle of Man meeting bringing together science and industry to seek common ground >> More
Untangling Grassholm's gannets
MCS crew helps free gannets and chicks caught up in dangerous plastic >> More
Seasearch divers spot prawn and blenny spreading west
Divers have recorded two speciesof prawn and blenny in Devon and Cornwall for the first time >> More
MCS team returns from World Conference on Marine Biodiversity
They return with the message that the incredible research in the field must be used as a basis for change and improvement. >> More
Help MCS turn the tide on pollution
Pollution from sewers, farmland and city streets is a serious concern at a third of the UK's bathing beaches, and beach litter levels continue to be over acceptable levels at nearly 2,000 items for every kilometre on a beach.
Litter and sewage pollution is not only an eyesore but is also a danger to the amazing wildlife in our seas and on our beaches. We want to see action taken to reduce litter levels on our beaches by half by 2020 and to see a drop in sewage pollution.
View the following video, taken from the BBC series Tropic of Cancer, to see the problems caused by plastic. Presenter Simon Reeve says "This is a colossal problem that we really need to address" - watch to find out why:
Turning the tide on litter - what needs to happen?
MCS wants:
Government to formulate coherent marine litter action plans.
Industry to improve water treatment storage capacity and combined sewer overflows to reduce the discharge of untreated sewage and sewage related litter to rivers and the sea during heavy rainfall.
The public to reduce their use of plastic packaging, and reuse and recycle wherever possible. First steps can be as simple as avoiding plastic shopping bags, bottled drinking water and over pacakged goods.
See our full recommendations on pollution here.
MCS Pollution team – what we do
Every year we work with thousands of volunteers in all four parts of the UK to monitor the litter on our beaches through our Beachwatch programme. Using the data we collect from our surveys, we run campaigns on areas of particular concern, such as plastic bags and balloon releases.
We also report on the state of our bathing waters through the Good Beach Guide. As part of this campaign we are asking everyone who sees one to report overflowing sewer pipes to us.
