A group of volunteers were surprised to find an “eye opening” amount of plastic rubbish when they collected litter from Southend beach after a hot weekend.
The power pickers who all work at UK Power Networks Borehamwood office, wanted to do something for the environment and take action on plastic pollution. They used their company’s Donate a Day which gives the 5,700 staff two paid days each year to volunteer in their local communities.
Technical support assistant Sophia Manco-Cox said: “We decided it would be nice to do something for the environment and particularly the beach as we know this ecosystem is under threat from pollution and particularity plastic pollution. We also felt that a cleaner more cared for area helps the community value the area that they live in.”
The group of eight, who work as technical support assistants and trainee project designers, tackled the area either side of Southend Pier.
They found lots of food rubbish including packaging from meal deals, plastic water bottles and take -away packaging. “They looked like they belonged to items of food that people were bringing to the beach as meals or snacks but that were being left there rather than binned,” said Sophia.
She said there were a number of large bins close to busy areas of the beach where people could have taken their rubbish, but instead they just left it where they sat.
Sophia added: “Although it was an enjoyable team building exercise it was quite eye opening to see the amount of waste left behind after people had enjoyed the weekend.”
So far this year, 335 UK Power Networks employees have completed volunteering time under the Donate a Day scheme.
The Great British Beach Clean event is taking place all this week led by the Marine Conservation Society, it started last Friday and ends on Sunday 25 September.
