Plastic pollution continues to plague the coastline of Guernsey, with a staggering 82% of all marine litter collected in 2024 made up of plastic waste, according to the latest Clean Earth Trust Marine Litter Report.

Over the course of the year, 387 dedicated volunteers participated in organized clean-ups across 26 beaches around the island, contributing a total of 462 volunteer hours. During these efforts, 15,373 individual pieces of rubbish were collected—an average of 211 items per beach clean.

Despite a decrease in the total amount of waste collected year-on-year, the report reveals an alarming trend: the number of items retrieved per volunteer hour is increasing. This suggests that marine litter is becoming denser and more prevalent, pointing to a growing problem rather than a diminishing one.

"Publishing this data continues to raise public awareness and helps reduce the adverse impact of litter on our vulnerable marine ecosystem," said Andrew Munro, one of the report’s contributors.

Among the most concerning findings is the high frequency of cigarette butts discovered during the beach cleans. On average, 33 cigarette butts were collected per cleanup. These items are particularly dangerous to marine wildlife due to the plastic content in their filters—often composed of cellulose acetate—as well as the toxic chemicals they carry, including arsenic, formaldehyde, and lead.

Paul Bugden, Policy Officer at Clean Earth Trust, emphasized the importance of the initiative: “The work done by our wonderful volunteers to protect our marine environment is reflected in our 2024 report. Every beach clean conducted adds to the valuable data that can help to inform policy change on the island.”

This detailed tracking of beach litter is not just an environmental act, but a data-driven approach to informing and influencing public policy. The Trust hopes that by providing quantifiable evidence, it can support measures aimed at reducing the source of marine litter—particularly single-use plastics.

The report serves as a wake-up call for both policymakers and the public. Plastic bottles, wrappers, fishing gear, and microplastics continue to pose a severe threat to the marine ecosystems of the Channel Islands. Without decisive action to curb plastic consumption and enhance waste management, Guernsey’s beaches—and the biodiversity they support—face a grim future.

Key recommendations from the Clean Earth Trust include:

• Enhancing local recycling infrastructure
• Introducing bans or restrictions on single-use plastics
• Increasing public awareness campaigns on the impact of marine litter
• Funding more frequent and widespread beach cleaning efforts
• Implementing policy changes based on volunteer-collected data

As the island confronts the growing marine litter crisis, the Clean Earth Trust’s report highlights the vital role that community involvement and data transparency can play in driving lasting environmental change.