The Challenge

The threats caused to wildlife by marine pollution are well documented. On the West Coast of Scotland, plastic causes internal damage in seabirds, fish, and other marine species; while entanglement is a major problem for cetaceans.

Tackling this colossal problem requires action across a range of areas. The fact that 90% of plastic in Scottish seas comes from Scottish littering on land underlines the importance of education and policy in making progress.

Introduction to project

The Group for Recycling in Argyll and Bute, or the GRAB Trust, have been tackling the root causes of plastic pollution since 1999 through reusing and recycling initiatives and environmental education. Their innovative social enterprise, LORI, diverts waste from landfill to reuse and helps support other areas of their work.

Marine litter is a major problem in Argyll and Bute, particularly in hotspots such as Arrochar, which have been raised as an area of national concern by the Scottish Government. Through their Beaches and Marine Litter Project (BMLP), the GRAB Trust coordinate community beach cleans as well as running an extensive educational program. In July 2023, HIEF awarded the GRAB Trust a £10,000 grant to contribute towards a year of the BMLP project.

Project Activities

Beach Cleans

A total of 78 beach cleans were held across Argyll and Bute, involving 1,500 people and removing over 3 tonnes of waste. The GRAB Trust also sets up and maintains ‘Litter Picking Equipment Stations (see map here) that provide the necessary equipment, encouraging repeated small-scale action.

Education

From Sept 2023-24, the GRAB Trust delivered a comprehensive series of workshops to schools across the whole of Argyll and Bute. These were linked to the Curriculum of Excellence, and tailored to address plastic challenges locally, ranging from the impact of plastic on the River Clyde to the problems resulting from the consumerism of Halloween.

In total, over 90 hours or workshops were delivered, engaging nearly 3,000 young people.

Arrochar Litter Sink

Through beach cleans, partnerships, discussions and outreach, the team have increased awareness of the problem. A new collaboration with Keep Scotland Beautiful’s ‘Upstream Battle’ campaign will involve online resources for all schools in the Greater Clyde area.

Waste Management

GRAB participated in events throughout Argyll, such as Climate Cafes, Christmas markets, Wellbeing Walks, and the ‘Clipper Round the World Yacht Race’.  This face-to-face engagement allowed GRAB to provide guidance on waste management and increase awareness of the BMLP project.

A series of leaflets (example here) were produced and distributed to households and businesses to encourage recycling.

Publications

The “Argyll and Bute Beach Litter Report” was published and distributed to locals and stakeholders. It drew attention to Argyll and Bute’s litter challenges (which are higher than national average), and summarised beach clean data from 1994. It was praised by  the MCS, for its contribution to ongoing national policy work such as the Circular Economy Bill.