On Saturday 28th September, Deborah Woods, Community Liaison for the Morecambe Project, volunteered with the Ribble Rivers Trust for a public estuary clean-up on the saltmarshes of Warton along the Fylde Coast.

Estuaries are unique and fragile ecosystems, where the saltwater from the sea meets freshwater from rivers, creating a brackish environment that nurtures diverse marine life. These areas act as a natural nursery, providing shelter and food for many species. Estuaries are also crucial as they capture carbon while their reed beds and seagrasses filter water to boost oxygen levels and protect against coastal storms.

During the clean up a significant amount of rubbish was collected, including debris trapped in riparian vegetation and new litter deposited by recent high tides. While larger items were visible, what posed an even greater threat was the presence of microplastics and nurdles.

Microplastics, fragments of plastic smaller than 5mm, come from larger plastics that break down over time. These particles spread far and wide, entering the ocean and commonly mistaken for food by birds, fish and other marine animals. When ingested, they work their way into the food chain, ultimately affecting human health. Birds, for example, often feed brightly coloured plastic pieces to their chicks, unaware of the dangers, leading to malnutrition or even death.

Plastics leach harmful chemicals as they degrade, and traces of microplastics have even been found in human organs and blood.

Nurdles, small plastic pellets about the size of lentils, are raw materials used to manufacture plastic products. These tiny particles are so lightweight that they easily find their way into the environment, where they pose a similar threat as microplastics.

For these reasons, removing plastic waste from our rivers, estuaries and beaches is essential. Every clean-up effort contributes to safeguarding our environment, marine life and human health.