On Thursday 7th May, members of the Waterscan team joined the Marine Conservation Society (MCS) and volunteers from across the local community for a beach clean in Worthing.
Across two survey areas, 32 volunteers collected a total of 987 pieces of litter weighing 28kg from the shoreline. The findings included large volumes of plastic fragments, fishing-related debris, wet wipes, glass, metal and packaging waste.
While beach cleans have an immediate visual impact, the work of the Marine Conservation Society goes much further. Every item collected and recorded contributes to MCS’s national litter database, which has been built over more than 30 years and helps influence environmental policy, research and campaigning efforts aimed at reducing ocean pollution.
The data collected during the Worthing clean highlighted the ongoing challenge facing UK coastlines. Plastic and polystyrene alone accounted for over 450 items across the two survey areas, with public litter and fishing-related waste among the most common identifiable sources.
For Waterscan, supporting initiatives like this reflects a wider commitment to sustainability and responsible water stewardship.
There is often a misconception that marine pollution begins at sea, but according to the Marine Conservation Society, around 80% of ocean litter originates inland. Rivers, drainage systems and urban runoff all play a role in transporting waste into the marine environment.
As a business focused on water sustainability, efficiency and environmental responsibility, this connection between inland water systems and ocean health is especially important to us. Protecting water resources is not only about consumption and efficiency. It is also about understanding the broader environmental impact of how waste and pollution move through our ecosystems.
Beyond the environmental impact, the event was also a brilliant opportunity for the Waterscan team to support an important cause alongside the local community. Sustainability is often discussed in terms of strategy, reporting and long-term targets, but practical action still matters, and sometimes that action starts with simply picking litter off a beach in the rain with a grabber and a bin bag.
We would like to thank the Marine Conservation Society and Community Engagement Manager Ciara Taylor for organising the event and their Trust and Grants Manager Rachael Willson for all her help. We are forever grateful for the the incredible work they continue to do to protect the UK’s coastlines and oceans.
To learn more about the Marine Conservation Society and how to get involved in future clean-up events, visit Marine Conservation Society.
