Litter picking with a difference in the Yealm estuary

A group from Plymouth University Canoe and Kayak Club recently joined Community Ranger Lorna Sherriff on a litter picking session with a difference. Instead of walking around collecting rubbish the group were on the water and litter picking from their kayaks.

With permission from the Yealm Harbour Master, the group cleared areas along the banks of the Yealm estuary, as well as getting out of the boats to stretch their legs and clean Cellars Cove beach; a beautiful secluded bay at Noss Mayo. It was a fantastic day and the whole group were amazed by how much litter had been collected and were willing to participate in this type of activity again in the future.

Lorna Sherriff commented: "It was a completely new way of picking litter for me and it was incredible to see just how much litter was floating or stuck just under the surface of the water. The group collected over eight bin bags full of rubbish, mostly plastics and items of cloth, which we then took away and disposed of appropriately."

Marine litter affects hundreds of our marine species, either by accidental ingestion or by them getting trapped and injured in the rubbish. When the waste eventually washes up on our coastline it spoils the enjoyment of the area by looking unsightly and being potentially hazardous. To help keep our coast beautiful, please take your litter home with you and dispose of it responsibly – or why not join in with a local beach clean to make a difference.