‘My challenge to celebrate Canterbury’s 60th year was to collect 60 bags of rubbish over the year. I live near the sea and swim most days so I was very aware of the hazards of plastic pollution.
Especially in the summer, and when its a sunny evening, the rubbish is left by the public. That’s when the champagne corks and fish and chip wrappers appear. But there is plastic from the sea all year round. It’s worse after a high tide and even worse after a sewage outfall.
I estimate that I’ve picked up 240 kilos of rubbish over the last 12 months and thousands of sticks from cotton wool buds. Every litter pick seems to include a Red Bull can, a ketchup sachet, at least one mask (though the numbers are dropping as people wear them less), some fishing twine, the sole of a shoe and even more cotton bud sticks.
I hope that I’ve left the beaches in a pleasanter, safer and more hygienic place. I’ve also raised awareness that litter picking is all our responsibility. And, additionally, it’s a calming and therapeutic activity. Lose yourself in the moment as you hunt for little bits of plastic. Once you start, you won’t be able to stop!
Thank you to our communication officer Keji for this beautiful representation of the rubbish collected from Kent beaches.
