As well as coastlines receding by up to an impressive 10-metres in certain areas, Atlantic-facing coastal communities throughout Europe are facing some of the most polluted beaches ever recorded following the North Atlantic’s present two month run of giant swell.

With exceptionally stormy seas causing many commercial ships to lose containers overboard as well as incite increased illegal dumping of waste fuel straight into ocean waters (severe weather makes aerial surveillance impossible), the level of pollution to have washed up along Europe’s shores has shocked many beach-goers this winter, and none less than Surfers Against Sewage. In certain areas a thick, multi-coloured layer of marine litter (micro plastic waste in particular) has covered beaches as far as the eye can see, while above average rainfall for many parts of the continent have also resulted in continuous untreated sewage being discharged straight into the marine environment.

So while the UK-based environmental foundation organises nation-wide beach clean ups every year, they’re planning on making an extra strong call on coastal communities to volunteer their help for this spring’s SAS Big Spring Beach Clean Up, now set to happen the 28th, 29th, 30th & 31st March. Their goal? To achieve 150 beach cleans involving 3000 volunteers spanning all UK coastal counties and removing a minimum of 10 tonnes of debris from the British Iles’ precious coastline.

To register your beach at [email protected] or call 01872 553001 and then follow the simple step by step guide for Big Spring Beach Clean organisers.

Don’t live in the U.K.? Then just stay tuned for Europe’s Surfrider Foundation annual beach clean-up dates, which usually happens around the same time during the first weekend of spring.