A shard responsibility

Stepping on broken glass is a sure way to shatter your fun and cut your day at the beach short.

That’s why national charity Clean Coasts is asking people around Ireland to help spread the word about the danger of broken glass on our beaches.

At the start of the summer, Clean Coasts launched its Enjoy And Protect campaign, asking people to enjoy and celebrate Ireland’s stunning coastline, beautiful beaches and epic cliffs while taking action to protect these natural treasures.

This time, the charity is focusing on broken glass on beaches and glass marine litter items which the charity says not only cause serious harm but can be a major deterrent for beachgoers.

Broken glass is a serious problem on Irish coasts, with many of Clean Coasts’ followers having seen this type of litter on their local beaches.

In fact, several Clean Coasts volunteers and beachgoers have reported injuries from stepping on pieces of glass.

Close to 90 per cent of Clean Coasts’ social media followers who took part in a survey said that the presence of glass would put them off returning to a particular beach in the future.

“By taking our glass bottles home with us and recycling or reusing them, we not only protect our coastline from litter but remove a potentially severe injury risk ensuring future visitors can enjoy the coast as much as we did,” said a spokesperson for the group.

Clean Coasts is a charity programme, run through the Environmental Education Unit of An Taisce, which engages communities in the protection of Ireland’s beaches, seas and marine life.