MILLION Mile Clean is a new initiative from Surfers Against Sewage encouraging people to get out on the streets, countryside, parks, rivers, and beaches to tackle plastic pollution and litter. 

The campaign has just been launched in April and aims to reconnect people with their local environment to help their physical and mental wellbeing.

The result will be one million miles cleared by the end of the year, protecting oceans, beaches, and wildlife – and giving people an opportunity to improve the environment, get active and reduce plastic pollution.

Surfers Against Sewage’s regional rep for the Vale of Glamorgan, Michael Goode said: “I have already organised two cleans at Porthkerry Park and around Wenvoe Garden Centre and we filled a large, big bag at each location within an hour, as well as traffic cones, paint tins, plastic bottles and fast-food wrappers! 

“It just shows the amount of litter that is on our streets or beaches throughout the Vale, all of which we should be taken home or put it in a bin.

“I will be approaching schools, community groups and individuals who want to join the campaign and help to organise a litter pick in their area.”

Rhoose Lifeguards have already agreed to take part in a series of beach cleans in Barry and Fontygary over the next six months.

A stock of litter pickers, bags and gloves can be borrowed for this activity, if you want to get in touch with myself through the SAS website www.sas.org.uk

Whilst the initiative will run throughout 2021, the first week of action will take place between the May 15 and 23, and Surfers Against Sewage are calling for volunteers across the UK to join the biggest ever beach clean, and to register to lead a clean at: www.beachcleans.org.uk

Each clean can be logged on the fitness app Strava, to allow Surfers Against Sewage to calculate how many miles have been achieved.

According to new research commissioned by Surfers Against Sewage, over half of us (54%) think COVID-19 has led to an increase in plastic pollution, with almost two-thirds (59%) see more waste in their area over the last 12 months.

This increase could be down to the fact that nearly a fifth (18%) of the population has bought more single-use plastic items because of the pandemic, with the same proportion opting to use disposable facemasks rather than reusable ones.