Cotton-bud beach.

Wild-Woman · #1 (**permalink**) 27-07-2008, 07:00 AM

We did our usual bay clean-up on the banks of the Thames yesterday, heading out towards the estuary.
A good sized group of us (about 18) spent 3 hours litter picking an area that is particularly badly affected by the rubbish that is discarded by folk who either by will or ignorance, dispose of their unwanted rubbish into the Thames. Loads of this stuff ends up on the strand-line in the many bays and creeks further down the river, becoming a hazard for wildlife and an absolute eye-sore.

As we went along it was very noticeable that one of the worst and hardest things to litter-pick was the plastic shafts of cotton-buds. There were literally millions and millions of them.
I wonder how they miss out the sewage treatment systems, as I would imagine that most of them are being flushed away down the loo.

The shafts gathered in great accumulations in amongst sea-weed and up onto the tops of the sea walls and were also caught in vegetation.

They were also amongst the thousands of plastic bottle tops and bottles that had found their way to the bays.

Surveying the bay, I should imagine that at least 99.99% of the litter had plastic content of some sort. It really was a sad sight, knowing that ALL of it was there because of us humans. Shameful.

On the upside of things, we left the bay in much better condition than we found it, and hopefully it will stay like that for a while.

If any of you folk out there get the chance to do a beach or bay clean of some sort, I would urge you to do it because apart from giving you an insight to the content of the litter that is so hazardous, it also leaves you with a good feeling when you stand back and see the area more wildlife friendly.

I have thought of writing to the maufacturers of these cotton buds and asking then whether they could change the shafts back to the rolled paper that they used to be made of years ago. At least then, they would bio-degrade. But better than that would be if folk just gave a little thoughtto where their litter was going to and we all buy carefully and recycle.

rlchew · #2 (**permalink**) 27-07-2008, 07:16 AM

Excellent effort on your part Julie!

However, as you say it is shameful the volume and variety of rubbish that accumalates along the River Thames and indeed probably along many tidal rivers and shorelines in the UK.

It is not just urban or developed areas either. I have seen all sorts of rubbish even on the remote beaches of northern Scotland.

Much of it is toxic and dangerous to both wildlife and probably ourselves too.

I am not sure what the answer is

.

The wastefulness and laziness of the human race and the never ending tides will continue to cause this objectionable hazard

.

Richard

mrs fish · #3 (**permalink**) 27-07-2008, 07:25 AM

That sounds bad

If they have come from toilet sewage that must mean the sewage plants dump their collection of unbiodegradble rubbish in the sea or river

Years ago the banks of the river Orwell were badly littered with unbiodegradble items from toilet sewage but it stopped, that was the days before cotton buds were popular.

Wild-Woman · #4 (**permalink**) 27-07-2008, 07:50 AM

Just to add, google this 'Marine Conservation Society advice to sanitary manufacturers' and read the article. It has some astounding figures to think about.

mrs fish · #5 (**permalink**) 27-07-2008, 08:11 AM

I can't read the HTMLs

Did you take some pics of the bud shafts ?

Wild-Woman · #6 (**permalink**) 27-07-2008, 08:14 AM

No. Silly of me really. I never thought to. I've no doubt that during the hols I could find about a million to get a shot of.

Boddie · #7 (**permalink**) 27-07-2008, 08:21 PM

They may have been scaffold poles for a new midget sub race.

You could be onto something

Wild-Woman · #8 (**permalink**) 27-07-2008, 08:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Boddie

They may have been scaffold poles for a new midget sub race.

You could be onto something

Gill Catton · #9 (**permalink**) 27-07-2008, 08:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Boddie

They may have been scaffold poles for a new midget sub race.

You could be onto something

Hee hee yeah maybe there was a flood at fraggle rock!!...

Incidentally were the cotton bud stems different colours (so potentially from lots of different people therefore sewage) or all the same so potentially dumped by a supplier or factory?