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Over the last 20 years we’ve made huge progress in making our beaches and bathing waters cleaner.
In 1988 only 18% of our bathing waters met minimum standards, in 2016 this was 100%.
Below is information on how we got there and how we’ll keep it that way…

New WOOP! school resources now available!

Eco-friendly parents stuck for things to do with their children and teachers looking for extra activities, will be pleased to hear that they can now help them learn about how they can protect our oceans, beaches and wildlife thanks to some new resources created by LOVEmyBEACH, the environmental campaigning project from the Turning Tides Partnership.

As part of the WOOP! (Wipe Out Ocean Plastic) campaign, LOVEmyBEACH has designed a FREE home schooling resource and teacher-led classroom or remote learning session for teenagers. Itshows them how single use plastic items such as wet wipes, period care products and PPE can impact on marine life and habitats.

Youngsters will get to meet LOVEmyBEACH Officers Emily and Anya, who talk them through the topic from the beach and guide them on how they can take action to prevent plastic entering our sewage system, causing blockages and ending up on our beaches, harming the environment and wildlife.

Emily, the Beach Care Officer for Fylde, says: “We had so much fun creating this resource for young people, teachers and parents who are concerned about the environment and who want to protect our beaches and wildlife from plastic pollution.

Even though we are all stuck at home and feel far away from the beach, there are still lots of positive actions people can take to protect it.”

The resources are available now to download for free from the LOVEmyBEACH website and can be used to highlight the environmental impact of domestic single-use plastic, while also helping them with their school curriculum, as they are suitable for classes within Geography and PHSE curriculums.

Anya, Morecambe and Cumbria’s LOVEmyBEACH Officer, says: “Our brilliant new resource is packed full of information and it will help inspire and empower young people to take positive action on plastics.

“Home schooling can be tricky and dull. So we have created something fun and engaging, which compliments the work done in their curriculum while also giving them the tools to help prevent plastic pollution along the coast, so it’s a win-win!”

For more information and to download the resource, please visit: www.lovemybeach.org/resources

Help us tackle coastal pollution

There are many sources of coastal pollution, which can harm our beaches, seas and wildlife. Thankfully our North West beaches and seas are the cleanest and safest they have ever been, and we want them to stay that way. We need your help to identify and report signs of coastal pollution in order to prevent further incidents!

Pollution can impact bathing water quality and the safety and reputation of beaches, whilst being unpleasant to look at and potentially dangerous for beach visitors. We are asking you to See It – Report It – Prevent It.

As regular beach users, you are likely to notice changes to the environment or worrying signs of pollution before others do. You might notice sewage pollution, grey water, leaking outfall pipes, oil, large concentrations of a particular type of litter or safety hazards. We are asking you to report any such signs to the relevant organisation in order for them to take swift action and hopefully prevent long term impacts.

To help you know what signs of pollution to look out for we have put together a handy guide with information, images and descriptions. It also includes details on how and where to report it to.

Please take a look at our Resources page and download a copy of the Coastal Pollution leaflet.

Why not print out a copy to keep in your pocket when visiting the beach?

Or pass it on to friends who regularly visit the beach to?

We have also recorded a 15 minute presentation, which offers more detail on pollution and bathing waters, specific types of pollution, local case studies and reporting. You can view this on Youtube by clicking here.

Together we can keep our seas and beaches clean and free of pollution!

If your organisation would like some printed copies of the leaflet, please contact enquiries@lovemybeach.org

Microplastic Incident

Unfortunately Fylde Coast beaches and marine life have faced a tough week, as a deluge of microplastics have washed in on recent tides. Numerous beaches between Fleetwood, Blackpool and Lytham have been affected by significant amounts of multi-coloured plastic fragments arriving with incoming tides.

Microplastics are small pieces of plastic, measuring less than 5mm. Unfortunately, we do witness microplastics frequently on beaches and within strandlines. However, the scale seen this week indicates there has been a particular incident, possibly originating at sea or on land. Unfortunately due to their size, it is extremely difficult to effectively remove these either by hand or using any mechanical equipment. As a result many wash back out on the next tide, so we anticipate witnessing the effects of this incident for some time to come.

However, the overwhelming positive in this situation has been the response of local people. LOVEmyBEACH requested reports of locations and dates, alongside photographs to be submitted to us on social media. We now have a very strong evidence base, detailing where and when the incident occurred alongside over 30 high quality evidence photos. This information will be invaluable in taking action once the source has been identified.

Numerous organisations have come together to collect and analyse samples, investigate possible sources and ensure such an incident does not happen again. These include Wyre Council, Wyre Rivers Trust, the Environment Agency, Marine Management Organisation, Lancaster University and United Utilities.

Once the investigations have progressed, we will share more information.

If you do spot any significant levels of microplastics please email photographs detailing the location and date taken to emily.parr@keepbritaintidy.org

Thank you to everyone who has shared reports so far.

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Water quality

The Environment Agency monitors bathing waters – stretches of sea or lake where many people swim and paddle – to assess whether they meet the strict standards of the European Bathing Water Directive. The standards are set to protect public health and the environment from pollution.

The Environment Agency takes 20 water samples at each bathing water between May and September each year and post the information online: https://environment.data.gov.uk/bwq/profiles/

The samples are tested for certain types of bacteria: escherichia coli (E.coli) and intestinal enterococci, which are not directly harmful but indicate the presence of pollution. The bacteria are found in the intestines of animals and humans and pass through the body in poo. High levels of bacteria = poor water quality.

However, the water may be cleaner on the actual day you visit the beach, as the quality can change, particularly after heavy rain washes pollution into rivers and the sea. Look out for daily forecasts at some beaches.

Each beach is also given an annual classification. From 2015 this is based on sample results over the previous four years, e.g. 2015 results use data from 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2015. 2016 results use data from 2013 to 2016 and so on. The classifications are:

Excellent

The standard is the highest, cleanest class

Good

Generally good water quality

Sufficient

The water meets the minimum standards

Poor

Bathing is not advised at this beach as water quality has not met sufficient standards

If a bathing water is classed as Poor, you are advised not to bathe because samples taken over the previous four years have been affected by pollution. This does not mean the beach is closed – you can still enjoy everything the beach has to offer.

If a water sample has high levels of bacteria, analysis is done to estimate* the sources of pollution and work is planned in the area to improve water quality. When this work is significant and is expected to help improve bathing water quality, the four years of data for the annual classification starts from the time the work is completed and sample data from before the work are not included. This is called step change.

*Estimates are based on computer modelling, DNA analysis, and knowledge of the local area. The estimates can never be perfect because pollution to bathing waters changes from day to day depending on the season, the tides and the weather.