Beach Litter Categories

General wewage related debris

Sewage litter items include:

• Feminine hygiene products (sanitary towels, tampons and applicators)
• Contraceptives
• Toilet paper
• Fatty deposits
• Identifiable faeces of human origin
  (Cotton bud sticks should be counted as a separate item.)

The grade is determined by the worst case.

Potentially harmful litter

This category includes items which are dangerous to either humans or animals using the beach. These include:

• Sharp broken glass (counted as a separate category)
• Medical waste (e.g. used syringes)
• Sharps (metal wastes, barbed wire etc.)
• Soiled disposable nappies
• Containers marked as containing toxic products
• Other dangerous products such as flares, ammunition and explosives
• Dead domestic animals.

Any other type of potentially harmful litter found is recorded. 

Gross litter

Gross litter comprises items that have at least one dimension greater than 50cm. These include such items as:

• Shopping trolleys
• Pieces of furniture
• Large plastic or metal containers
• Road cones
• Bicycles, prams
• Tyres
• Large items e.g. wood, pallets.

Driftwood is not included.

General litter

General litter includes all other items less than 50cm in dimension such as:

• Drink cans
• Food packaging
• Cigarette packets
• Any other items.

Items with a maximum diameter of less than 1cm are not counted.

Oil and oil-like substances

Oil is assessed as to its general presence or absence, and whether it is objectionable. This covers all oil waste (mineral or vegetable), either from fresh oil spills or the presence of weathered oil deposits and tarry wastes.

The following guidelines should be used to help in the categorisation of oil pollution:

• Grade A: No oil present at all within the survey area. Beach considered pristine in this respect.
• Grade B: Traces of oil found, but in a weathered state i.e. obviously old residues. Traces found but only on other litter items such as plastic containers.
• Grade C: Quantities of oil present that are a nuisance and interfere with proper use of the beach. For example, oil is found in places that are immediately noticeable, can be smelt or seen, which would prevent a person sitting on parts of the beach.
• Grade D: Objectionable quantities of oil that prevents normal use of the entire beach.

Faeces (Non Human)

The number of animal faeces (dogs) is counted in the survey zone. Faeces from animals such as sheep or horses should not be counted. These are not considered to be a general nuisance or hazard. However their presence is recorded.

Accumulations

Accumulations of litter can occur behind the highest high water strandline either as a result of being blown by the wind or being dumped by users of the beach, and often in seaweed. The numbers of significant accumulations of litter are recorded.

Other Items

In addition to the seven commonly occurring categories of beach litter defined above, there will be occasions when other items will be found during a survey.

While these are not included in the formal classification of the beach, they are recorded on the survey form. Examples of such items are: coal and other types of industrial waste, or naturally occurring deposits such as foam (which when decaying may be offensive and look and smell rather like oil).