LOCAL eco heroes joined forces for the River to Sea – Big Autumn Clean.
Plastic Free Newton Abbot, part of Transition Newton Abbot, joined forces with Sustainable Bishopsteignton, Dawlish Against Plastic and a local Teignmouth group for the the big clean-up, supporting the Surfers Against Sewage campaign (https://www.sas.org.uk/our-work/beach-cleans/autumn-beach-clean-series/).
Each community group did a litter pick in their local area.
The events were organised in small and family groups in accord with social distancing.
In Newton Abbot 18 in total joined the event, coming from as far as Exeter.
A large number of bags with litter – drink cans, plastic bottles, glass bottles, assorted plastic, PPE, crisp packets and wrappers, cigarette buts and packs – were passed over to Teignbridge Council for processing preventing this material entering our environment and our waterways.
The volunteers were buoyed by the many good wishes and expressions of thanks from passers-by.
And it was great to meet an independent group of litterpickers from Kingsteignton also doing their bit keep the environment plastic-free.
Dawlish Against Plastic picked up to 37.98kgs of rubbish on the beach, including rope weighing 16.8kgs and a broken boat windscreen.
The group was unable to shift the tyres they found which will unfortunately, be gradually leaching microplastics as they are constantly pounded by the sea.
When the seas are rough and seaweed is brought in to shore it brings thousands of smaller pieces of plastic which have gradually been broken up by the motion of the sea, plus almost unrecognisable drink cans, pieces of fishing line and scraps of fabric.
A recent addition in the Dawlish area are many pieces of black, rubbery foam which have been used between the sections of the wall.
‘A big THANK YOU to everyone that turned up,’ said Betina Winkler, one of the organisers.
All organisations organise regular litter picks in their areas and are happy for more volunteers to join them.