Volunteers’ three-hour round trip to clear plastic mess from beach
A TEAM of 13 volunteers made a three-hour round trip to clean up a remote beach on Mull last week, writes David McPhee.
Shane Wasik of Basking Shark Scotland rounded up a team of helpers after spotting the ‘terrible mess’ a couple of weeks earlier.
‘While on a tour to this amazing location to swim at the waterfall over Easter, we noticed a terrible mess on the adjacent beach,’ he said.
‘This coastline has towering cliffs, amazing geology, waterfalls, wildlife and stunning natural beauty. It’s completely inaccessible apart from by fast boat, with the nearest point being Oban.
‘Taking people to remote areas to see our stunning coastline, it was really horrific to see such an amazing place covered in rubbish.’
Shane set up a JustGiving page to raise money to pay for transportation.
Within a week, the page had raised enough money to make the clean-up trip possible. He has now raised £1,400.
In the end, the group filled two boatloads of material, which was brought back to the mainland to be recycled.
As well as this, the team bagged remaining rubbish, which will be collected at a later date.
Speaking to The Oban Times, Shane said: ‘We want to go back and get the rest of it and get it all done and dusted.’
Discussing whether they will carry out further clean ups, Shane said: ‘Certainly, the model worked really well.
‘We got a really good response. It’s a good way of taking all that plastic out of the environment. Watch this space.’
Basking Shark Scotland operates boat tours around the Inner Hebrides from April to October.
The company is also running a campaign called #planktonnotplastic to help highlight the impact of plastic on the oceans.
Also making waves to alleviate the amount of plastic polluting the ocean is Mull Otter Group.
Marie Fox organised a beach clean at the remote MacKinnon’s Cave, which was strewn with plastic.
A hardy gang of volunteers trekked out there, joined by hikers, who were glad to help them gather up a monstrous pile of plastic waste.
Colin Morrison of Turus Mara helped the group by using his tour boat to remove the rubbish.
For further information about future clean-ups, visit Mull Adopt-a-Beach page on social media.
Islay Development Initiative held its latest beach clean at the Big Strand recently.
Councillor Alastair Redman, who took part in the event, said: ‘Having clean and tidy beaches is not just important to our fast-growing tourist industry but also for local residents.
‘Our famous Islay beaches must not be allowed to be steadily covered in plastic debris.
‘A huge thanks goes to all of the volunteers and staff members who contributed to the beach clean.’