A 1920s tin can which washed up on a Mearns beach has illustrated the “ruinous effect of disposable culture”.
Among the 12 bags of rubbish and recycling collected at the St Cyrus nature reserve was a tin can of Min cream car and household polish which was popular in the UK in the first half of the 20th century.
The tin can is the oldest thing ever found on the beach at St Cyrus and astonishingly still had cream inside it when it was discovered.
West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine Conservative MP Andrew Bowie said: “Finds such as these illustrate the ruinous effect of disposable culture.
“I’m sure no one in 1930 thought their litter would still be a problem, 90 years later.
“But a tin can outlast a human being by hundreds of years, and it only takes one moment of thoughtlessness to throw one away.
“It’s incumbent on us to consider the effects our lifestyle has on future generations.”
A drinks can – believed to be from the 1980s – was found washed up on the sand at St Cyrus in August.
The pull-top Panda Shandy can was part of a growing trend of “retro rubbish” which has been washing up on UK beaches.
Mearns SNP councillor Leigh Wilson said: “It is quite astonishing that a can of polish has been circulating around our oceans and eventually is washed up in St Cyrus.
“This just shows the nature of pollution in our oceans and how dangerous that can be for sea life – not to mention the effect is has on the cleanliness of our beaches.
“I have already taken action to ensure that single-use plastic straws are removed from our schools and an increasing number of businesses are also more aware of their responsibility to the environment.
“This is not a new issue but it is one I am determined we all play a part in solving.”
More unusual items retrieved from UK beaches in previous years include an artificial Christmas tree, a French bullet proof vest, and half a TV set.
St Cyrus Nature Reserve manager Therese Alampo said: “How a tin can like this survived over 90 years is incredible.
“We did find a French legionnaire’s rifle several years ago in the cave, but this is the oldest thing we’ve ever found on a beach clean.
“It’s now in the office – still with Min cream in it.”
