More than half the rubbish on Scotland’s beaches is made of plastic, according to new figures.
Plastic bits and pieces made up almost 56% of all the litter found during a single weekend last September according to the Marine Conservation Society’s annual Beachwatch Big Weekend report.
The amount of plastic overall on UK beaches in 2012 rose by 3% compared to the year before. Almost 500 volunteers cleaned 35 beaches nationwide, including several across Courier Country.
They collected 20,951 items of litter in more than 254 bags. For every kilometre surveyed 2,041 pieces of litter were found, compared to 1,696 during the previous survey.
In Angus 66 volunteers cleaned six beaches, included Carnoustie, Monifeith and Lunan Bay.They picked up 4,161 pieces of rubbish enough to fill 55 bin bags.
Broughty Ferry’s beach yielded 10 bags, while in Fife 114 volunteers went litter picking on four beaches.
Between them Kinghorn harbour, Silverburn, West Sands in St Andrews and Tentsmuir Point produced 17 bags containing 2,275 pieces of litter.
The report also recorded a 100% rise in the number of cigarette stubs found on Scotland’s beaches between 2011 and 2012.