Why Beach Cleans Matter More Than Ever Right Now

Recent storms have been a powerful reminder of how closely connected our land, rivers and seas really are. After weeks of heavy weather, many of our beaches have been left scattered with plastic pollution, ghost fishing gear, and debris that’s been pulled back into the ocean — and then pushed straight back out again.

The Impact of Storms on Our Coastlines

Strong tides and heavy swell uncover years’ worth of plastic fragments, fishing rope, nets and microplastics. Things that are breaking down in our seas year after year, creating more pollution and becoming more deadly. Ghost fishing gear is especially dangerous — not only does it break down into microplastics, but it can also entrap and entangle wildlife too. 

When we clean our beaches after storms, we’re not just tidying up. We’re removing harmful materials before they break down further or get dragged back out to sea.

It’s Not Just Beaches — Rivers and Inland Areas Matter Too

After flooding, inland areas often need just as much care as the coastline.

Riverbanks, footpaths, fields and woodland edges can become collection points for plastic waste once waters recede. Everything left behind is likely to be picked up again by the next rise in water levels.

Cleaning rivers and inland areas helps stop plastic pollution before it ever reaches the ocean — which is one of the most effective things we can do.

Tips for Doing a Safe and Effective Beach Clean

Beach cleaning is simple, but it’s important to do it safely and thoughtfully.

A few things we always recommend:

• Wear sturdy gloves or use a litter picker where possible
  
• Be extra cautious around fishing gear, rope and nets
• If you find sharps or hazardous items, don’t handle them directly
• If you come across needles or medical waste, contact your local council for safe disposal rather than trying to remove them yourself.

How to Recycle What You Find

Not everything collected during a beach clean can go into standard recycling, but a lot of it can still be processed responsibly.

• Plastics: Separate where possible and follow local council guidance. You can also use the Precious Plastics website to find local plastic recycling projects close to you that are remaking plastic waste into new items!
• Ghost fishing line & nets: These often require specialist recycling — some projects and charities accept them specifically. You can report large nets Waterhaul for collection and recycling. 
• Mixed or contaminated waste: This usually needs to go into general waste to avoid contaminating recycling streams

Even when something can’t be recycled, removing it still prevents it from causing further harm.

Getting Equipment for Your Own Clean

If you’re thinking about organising a beach clean or river clean, you don’t need to do it alone.

Surfers Against Sewage offer free beach clean kits for groups of up to 30 people, which include gloves, litter pickers and bags. It’s a brilliant way to bring people together and make a real impact locally.

Join Us for Beach Cleans in Cornwall

We’ll also be hosting Arvor Life beach cleans in Cornwall, bringing our community together to care for the places we love most.

If you’d like to join us — or simply be notified when dates are announced — you can sign up to be notified and we’ll keep you in the loop.

Because small actions, done together, really do add up.

And right now, after the storms we’ve seen, our beaches and waterways need us more than ever 🌊🌿

---