The organisation Coast is Clear recently shared details of a cleanup effort at the remote beach of Fomm ir-Rih, located on Malta’s west coast near Mgarr, where they collected an astounding 378kg of plastic waste.

Among the debris were 306 plastic bottles, whole rubber dinghy tubes, a large fishing net, four polystyrene fishing floats, numerous fishing lines, long fishing ropes, multiple jerrycans, two garbage bags full of microplastics, and various plastic items originating from other Mediterranean countries.

The presence of foreign plastics is a powerful reminder that the sea is shared by neighbouring nations, and anything carelessly discarded into it affects not just Malta’s waters, but the entire world’s oceans. This highlights the critical importance of preventing litter and supporting organisations like Coast is Clear in their efforts to keep our beaches clean.

Have you ever attended a beach clean up?