Dog poo bags and other plastics blighting British beaches

The Marine Conservation Society has published a report based on results of its Beachwatch Big Weekend survey conducted last September, and found plastic bags of dog excrement to be one the main contributions to beach litter.

The charity says the volume of dog excrement in bags discarded by careless owners on beaches has risen 11 percent from 2010 to 2011.

In an interview with The Guardian, MCS Beachwatch officer Lauren Davies said in response to the findings, "We're delighted that pet owners enjoy dog-friendly beaches and clearly think ahead by carrying poop-scoop bags. But we hope our findings will now encourage them to take the bag off the beach and bin it in one of the many receptacles provided for the job. Leaving a bag full of poo on the beach will result in preserved excrement, protected from the elements for years by a bag which could take a long time to break down."

Other beach litter finds that are high on the list are cotton bud sticks, plastic caps and lids, crisp and sweet packets, fishing net pieces and polystyrene pieces.

The next beach clean-up and survey will be taking place this September. Click here to find out more and see how you can take part.