Hopes for ‘Blue Planet effect’ to drive up beach-clean volunteers

Organisers hope the “Blue Planet effect” will encourage record numbers to clean up a beach where litter dating back to the 1970s was discovered.

Derek Uchman of Monifieth Rotary Club said Sir David Attenborough’s series has captured the interest of people, with more than they would normally expect wanting to get involved in the clean up on Sunday at Barry Buddon.

It has been organised by Monifieth Rotary Club and Monifieth Eco Force, with the aim of clearing washed-up plastic from the beach, and will run from 10am until midday.

The scale of the problem was brought home earlier this month when a plastic bottle found on the beach pre-dated decimalisation.

Mr Uchman said: “I think the fact that litter from the 1970s has been discovered on the beach shows the scale of the problem.

“We used to carry out a beach clean once a year before upping it to twice a year but there is always a lot of rubbish there and I expect this year to be no different.

“The litter we are picking up has not been thrown by people walking along the beach – this has come from the sea.

“We’ve found everything from large plastic barriers to the tiny stuff like cotton buds which is actually more deadly because there’s more chance of that being ingested.

“The MOD is giving the event its blessing and will be assisting by supplying a trailer,” he added.

Volunteers should meet at the car park at the barracks.

Rotarian Derrick Lang will aid the efforts by bringing a tractor to the beach to pick up all the bagged litter.