Volunteers from the Environment Agency have removed more than 100kg of rubbish from the River Orwell estuary during a day of Green Action.
The event was organised by Dr Trevor Bond, fisheries team leader for the Environment Agency, as part of Defra’s Year of Green Action (YoGA) initiative, which is encouraging staff across the country to make a difference in their communities.
The day also coincided with the Great British Spring Clean – an initiative run by Keep Britain Tidy.
The litter pick was an official Beachwatch beach clean and involved the collection, survey and weighing of litter over a 100 metre stretch of the Orwell Estuary.
Dr Bond said: “It was a really successful day and we were pleased to be able to remove so much rubbish from the environment.
“I received a lot of support and guidance in organising the day from Lynn Allen at the Suffolk Coasts and Heaths AONB, and we’re also grateful to James Little at Priory Park for allowing to access the foreshore through the park’s land.
“Across our 100m survey area we collected 32kg of rubbish – across the wider area that we litter-picked we collected over 100kg of litter, including an old bicycle, a large fishing net and several items of plastic, including a couple of traffic bollards.”
As part of YoGA, Environment Agency staff are also carrying out lunchtime litter picks in the public areas around their offices.
During one such session was held in Ipswich last week around the EA’s Iceni House base, volunteers managed to collect 11 bags of litter, some of which can be recycled.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here