Updated 01 November 2004, 11.43

Sewage outlet pipe

Everything we flush down the toilet ends up in the sea. The waste we flush away is a big problem. In 2003, more than 17,000 cottonbuds were washed up on UK beaches.

• Litter

Each year the UK uses millions of tons of plastic

Each Household in England and Wales uses 300 plastic bags a year - that's seven billion in total.

In 2003 over 50% of the litter found on UK beaches was plastic.

Birds and turtles often mistake plastic for food and when their bodies can't digest it they can starve to death as they feel their stomach is full.

• Chemicals

Sea birds are affected by oil spills

As seas have no barriers, pollutants like oil can spread very quickly to different waters around the world.

What are the long-term effects?

Pollution is having an impact on the biology of sea creatures. Scientists researching sea life along the UK coast have discovered female eggs inside male bodies and they think this is the effect of chemicals in the water.

What's being done?

The Marine Conservation Society and various other organisations are trying to make a difference. Last year over 2,000 volunteers collected over 250,000 pieces of rubbish from UK beaches.

A group of fishermen in Shetland have set a scheme to take any rubbish that gets caught in their catch back to shore, instead of just putting it back in the sea.

More Info

Cleaning up oil-covered birds

Air

Seas and oceans

Sewage made me sick

I helped clean up my beach

Past Stories
	Sea lion pups seen 'tree diving'
	Sea birds hit by global warming