Home » News » Beach Litter at Durdle Door
Beach Litter Pollution
Last week, like many others during this Covid crisis, I have been appalled at the sight of revellers in their thousands enjoying the sunshine at many of our stunning coastal resorts. This was highlighted tenfold with the images that came from Durdle Door in Dorset. Emergency services were called to rescue injured “Tombstoners” who along with a baying crowd on the beach thought it clever to jump off this famous site to the sea below. What made it even worse to stomach was the images of the beach litter subsequently left behind.
Why would anyone go to this iconic British site only to leave it looking like a refuse tip? If it was left like that would these idiots return the next day and bask amongst soiled nappies, tampons and rotten food? Would they want their children playing amongst this trash? There are just so many questions I would love to put directly to every member of public leaving that site to truly understand their thinking.
Volunteers Support
As always though I like to try and focus on the good people are doing often in the wake of such madness. One facebook post in particular caught my attention from Oliver Rush who witnessed the sheer volume of litter at this Jurassic Coast beauty spot.
I spoke to Oliver today and learned he is part of a wonderful volunteer team. These guys all offered their services free of charge to clean up the mess that was left behind. Incredibly a team of five including, amongst others, Oliver, Roy and Erin, managed thirteen clean ups over the weekend. Can you believe that, thirteen ! We are not just talking about a few culprits we are talking hundreds all with this mindset that ruining our coast and destroying our natural world is OK. That makes me sad and angry.
So what can we do to try and address these issues. We need to educate our children and those responsible and impose heavier fines. In a perfect world there should be increased surveillance however resources and costs will of course be an issue. We need to support these volunteers who put in the effort to clear up the mess and ensure those who do come to the coast with good intentions have a great time.
Without these volunteers our country would be in a pretty grim, foul and vile state.
Follow these guys groups on the links below. If you are local then why not get in contact and support them. If you are not nearby why not follow their lead in your locality. Its the least we can all do to try and re educate these people.

Contacts
Project Planet
Oliver Rush alerted me to the efforts undertaken by this army of volunteers. In 2018, Oly was a plasterer and who on a day off, to go surfing, realised that fighting plastic pollution was to be his future.
@cleanjurassiccoast
Roy Beal is a Jurassic Coast ambassador and looks to keep this World Heritage site free from litter.
Jurassic Coast Beachcleaners
Thanks to Erin who regularly picks litter along the Jurassic Coast.
