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BeachBeat throws up a few questions - here are those that are the
most frequently asked.
Click the question to find the answer.
If you don't find the answer to your
question here then
What
is BeachBeat?
BeachBeat is a visual survey of Aesthetic Pollution (litter etc.)
on beaches in England and Wales.
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Why
did the Environment Agency establish Beachbeat?
BeachBeat has been established to give young people the chance to
get involved in contributing to a better environment. By reporting
the information they compile through the surveys they will be enabling
the Environment Agency and it's partners to improve aesthetic quality
of beaches. The information they obtain will help us to pinpoint
site specific issues and take action to tackle them.
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Do
I need a computer to take part in BeachBeat?
Ideally, you need a computer that has Internet access. If you do
not have access to a computer you could use an Internet café, or
alternatively write to us at the following address quoting BeachBeat
and we can send you a survey toolkit and details of how to submit
your data.
Address:
BeachBeat, National Centre for Environmental Data & Surveillance,
Environment Agency, Rivers House, Lower Bristol Road, Bath, BA2
9ES
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What
safety precautions are you recommending?
Safety is our first concern. We have a comprehensive set of safety
guidelines which are explained on the website at www.beachbeat.co.uk.
These include being aware of tidal states, how to carry out a risk
assessment, and what to wear. All of our safety guidance is based
on what we would tell our own employees.
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Is
it safe for children to be involved in Beachbeat?
BeachBeat is a safe activity for children over 8 years - provided
all of the guidelines and advice are followed. All groups of young
people will need to have parental permission and be accompanied
by an appropriate number of adults acting as 'responsible individuals'.
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What
do I do with the results?
Once you are registered and you have carried out your survey you
will be able to submit your results to our database over the Internet.
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Where
do I see the results of all this work?
The grades for your beach will be available to you immediately,
once you have entered and submitted them. You can print them out
if you wish so you have a record of how your beach has faired. Before
your data can be viewed by anyone else it has to be authorised by
the administrator, this is done at least once a week.
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How
have you ensured the information displayed is accurate?
The database will not accept information if key fields are omitted.
In addition, all of the information submitted to the database is
quality assured by the administrator before being authorised for
public view. The administrator will contact the registered user
to discuss any data that is incomplete, does not make sense or presents
unusual findings.
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What
is the Environment Agency going to do with results?
The Environment Agency does not have responsibility for tackling
all of the categories covered by the survey. However, through the
National Aquatic Litter Group partnership, we work most of the organisations
that do. The Agency has a responsibility for beaches that show poor
quality for Sewage Related Debris (SRD) as we regulate the water
industry. In such cases we will investigate further to identify
what can be done to reduce the levels of SRD and improve the situation.
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What
else is the Environment Agency doing to make our beaches safer?
We also sample and report bathing water quality for England and
Wales and are responsible for regulating sewage discharges by the
water industry.
Where
does beach litter come from?
Research by organisations such as the Marine Conservation Society
and The Ocean Conservancy shows that Beach Litter comes from four
main sources:
Recreational
beach users
(general litter such as fast food cartons, drinks bottles etc.)
Sewage Related Debris
(personal hygiene products that are flushed down the toilet and
get through the treatment system).
Litter from Shipping
(waste that is illegally thrown overboard when it is finished with).
Fishing Litter
(such as nets, oil bottle, buoys that are accidentally or deliberately
dumped when they have passed their useful life).
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What
kind of litter do we find on beaches?
All sorts, from the usual crisp bags and drinks cans/cartons that
recreational visitors to large items like oil drums and old net
that may come from a maritime source. Over half of what we find
is plastic as it is very persistent and mobile once it is in the
marine in the environment. Some of the most undesirable and objectionable
stuff is Sewage Related Debris (SRD), personal hygiene items that
are flushed down the toilet by people who don't know any better.
The most important category is potentially harmful litter - items
that could cause humans, coastal wildlife and seabirds harm.
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How
does beach litter affect the environment?
Litter can affect the environment and our quality of life in many
ways. Firstly, it looks unsightly and spoils everyone's enjoyment
of the coastal environment. More significantly it can cause harm
to both humans and wildlife. Broken glass, discarded syringes and
sewage can all injure humans or make them ill , whilst wildlife
can become entangled in nets and line or ingest plastic pieces and
other debris.
What
are the other impacts from beach litter?
There
are a number of relatively unknown impacts and issues that require
more research, such as ghost fishing and chemical adsorption.
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How
serious and extensive is beach litter in the England and Wales?
Beach litter is a serious and persistent problem, it can be a hazard
both to beach and it looks unsightly and spoils our enjoyment of
the natural environment. According to MCS beachwatch, current levels
are double those recorded in 1994. All beaches will have some kind
of litter on them, though some are markedly worse than others.
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What
can individuals do about the problem of litter on beaches?
Everyone
can contribute, by ensuring they dispose of their waste properly
and recycling waste where they can.
They may also like to join in with the MCS Beachwatch weekend and
help clean the beach as well as survey it. Check out www.mcsuk.org
or tel. 01989 566017 for more details.
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Aren't
beach litter surveys already well established?
Yes, there are some well-established surveys already in operation,
but we are working with these organisations through BeachBeat and
the National Aquatic Litter Group.
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What's
so different about BeachBeat from other established initiatives?
Many surveys also involve a clean up. BeachBeat is strictly a visual
survey only, which means that it is easier and with lower risk,
making it ideal for young people. What
is more we are also able to use the data from the already established
surveys, so we will be generating an even more powerful information
base to make judgments to tackle the problem.
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There
are several different award schemes for beaches. What is the difference
between them?
Primarily there are three:
European Blue Flag Awards are the European standard for beach
management & facilities, they are administered by ENCAMS (formerly
Tidy Britain Group). They look at a whole range of beach management
issues and require GUIDELINE Pass for water quality.
Seaside Awards are very similar to the European Blue Flags
awards and are also administered by ENCAMS. The criteria are slightly
less stringent and require only a MANDATORY water quality PASS.
The Good Beach Guide is the Marine Conservation Society's
award scheme. It is primarily judged on the application of stringent
criteria to the bathing water quality results. The guide includes
information on beach facilities, but these do not have a bearing
on the award.
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Where
can I take my dog to the beach?
This depends on the bylaws in force at individual beaches. Some
beaches have complete dog bans enforced during the bathing season
(April - September), others may allow dogs as long as they are kept
on a lead and their owners clean up after them. Some beaches will
have no dog ban at all. Any dog control is usually well sign-posted,
but if you are unsure you should check with the authority responsible
for the beach, be it a private beach operator or local council.
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If
I find a problem on a beach, such as dogs in a dog-restricted area
or overflowing litter bins, whom should I report this to?
If the beach has lifeguards, then report it to them, as they will
usually be working for the beach operator, or will know how to contact
the appropriate person (e.g. dog warden). If there are no lifeguards
then report it to the local authority (council) or operator (on
a private beach) responsible for maintaining the beach and enforcing
local bylaws.
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Things you can do to keep beaches free from litter and waste.
Ensure that when you visit a beach you make sure you put all of
your waste in the litter bin, or better still, take it home and
recycle what you can. Don't flush stuff down the loo that shouldn't
be flushed - personal hygiene items can get through treatment works
and end up in the sea and on beaches. Encourage others not to litter
- litter entering water courses through drains or thrown in, inevitably
ends up in the sea and back on our beaches. Of
course you
could also take part in BeachBeat and help us monitor specific sources
and issues in local areas. By identifying specific litter issues,
we will be able to target those problems on beaches.
You might also wish to get involve in the Marine Conservation Society
Beachwatch weekend and give the beach a clean up as well as a survey
www.mcsuk.org or tel. 01989 566017
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What
else can I do?
Wherever possible, Reduce - Reuse - Recycle your waste and always
dispose of it correctly.
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