The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
Success for clean beach campaign
Acampaign to improve water quality at a Fife beach has proved success. Environmental charity Keep Scotland Beautiful launched its My Beach, Your Beach initiative in mid-July to tackle issues at six of Scotland’s best loved sites, using targeted techniques to change people’s behaviour.
Kinghorn Beach was chosen along with Ayr, Troon, Irvine, Portobello and Fisherrow Sands.
Campaign messaging on bins encouraged people to dispose of waste responsibly, while an online programme including advice, quizzes, photo galleries and a virtual Doggy Ambassador competition reached nearly 7,000 locals.
Research by the charity has now revealed that while 38% of people think dog poo is an issue and 56% believe litter is an issue at Kinghorn Beach, around 80% of those surveyed in the area have said they are willing to pick up litter when visiting the beach to leave it cleaner than they found it.
Litter levels at Kinghorn were reduced by more than three- quarters over the summer as a result.
Jeremy Harris, chief executive of Fife Coast and Countryside Trust, said: “Beaches have been well visited and appreciated during the pandemic.
“A l though v is i tor numbers have been higher than usual this year, we have been working hard to ensure that all the beaches we manage, including Kinghorn, have been well looked after and we’d like to thank the loca l community for the active part they play in that.”
The campaign, funded by the Scottish Government and supported by Sepa, was led by Ke e p Scotland Beautiful alongside its Upstream Battle and Clean Up Scotland campaigns and annual Beach Awards.
All six of the beaches selected have faced challenges in improving the quality of their bathing water as measured by Sepa, and research confirms a significant link between behaviour on the land and the cleanliness of the local seawater.
Paul Wallace, campaigns and innovation manager at Keep Scotland Beautiful, said: “We’re grateful to council staff and Kinghorn Harbour Residents Group for working tirelessly to keep the beach clean.”