A quarter of Brits admit to dropping litter – and half dispose of plastic items after one use – with little thought about the environmental impact, a study has found.
A study, of 2,000 adults, found one in 20 brazenly dump rubbish at the beach, with just one in four identifying littering as having a detrimental impact on the seas.
While 54% feel single use plastic is the most damaging item to the environment, 49% still buy drinks and then bin the bottles rather than reusing them.
It also emerged 23% have washed harsh cleaning chemicals, like bleach, down the sink, with 54% admitting they don’t consider the impact it has on the oceans.
The research was commissioned by korev lager, as part of its longstanding partnership with the Marine Conversation Society.
Calum Duncan, head of conservation and policy at the Marine Conservation Society, said: “Our daily habits, from which cleaning products we choose to use to what we buy on the go, all has an impact on our seas.
“We can all do our part to look after the ocean by making more environmentally friendly decisions when we shop, and when disposing of our rubbish.
“Data from our beach clean volunteers last year showed that the biggest source of litter on beaches surveyed is from the public, and nine out of the top 10 litter items were made of plastic.
He added: “Plastic pollution is a serious threat to our ocean, breaking down into smaller pieces known as microplastics, and causing harmful effects on marine wildlife and ecosystems. When animals consume plastics, it can lead to intense suffering and even starvation.
“However, we can take action by making conscious choices to reduce, reuse, and recycle, helping to decrease litter in our seas.”
The research also found 91% of adults are concerned about the future of the oceans – with 63% of these worrying about the amount of rubbish finding its way into the water.
Six in 10 (62% ) fear for the animals which get caught in the litter, and another 62% are anxious about plastics filling the oceans. While 59% worry about the levels of pollution spilling into the seas.
For this reason, 68% want to get better at managing their impact on the environment – and of those who have tried, 78% feel their attempts were successful.
Despite this, one in four are yet to be proactive when it comes to being more eco-friendly, as 28 per think it would be too confusing.
Nearly a third (32%) of those polled, via OnePoll, felt switching from a fuel vehicle to electric would be the toughest change to make.
While 28% foresee struggles with ditching meat, and 25% think it would be too hard to grow their own fruit and veg. Whereas 17% admit they would struggle to use less plastic.
A spokesperson for korev lager, which is committed to supporting sustainable initiatives that safeguard the environment and coastline, added: “While many express concern for the health of our ocean, few realise how their everyday choices contribute to the problem.
“By raising awareness and understanding the ripple effects of our actions, it can empower individuals to make informed decisions that can lead to meaningful and positive change for our marine ecosystems.
“We recognise changing lifelong habits isn’t easy, but the reward of knowing you’re doing your part to protect the planet makes every effort worthwhile
“That’s why we’re donating 10p to the Marine Conservation Society for every promotional pack of cans sold in supermarkets from January 2025.”
