Beach clean – Smoke Free Beaches with East Sussex County Council, Bexhill (19/02/25)

Tutor: Ella Garrud

Join Sussex Wildlife Trust and East Sussex County Council for a beach clean at Bexhill Beach. East Sussex are currently gathering data on the amount of tobacco litter we have on our beaches.

Cigarette butts are one of the most littered items globally and take years to biodegrade. They leak chemicals including nicotine, ethyl phenol and heavy metals into the sea as they breakdown damaging delicate marine ecosystems.

East Sussex has two Marine Conservation Zones which protect rare underwater chalk reefs, vulnerable blue mussel beds, and declining species such as the fen-spider which is only found in three places in the UK.

East Sussex have designated Camber Sands as a voluntary smoke free space as smokers are urged to quit the habit this Stop Smoking Day.

As the annual stop-smoking challenge returns, the county council is working in partnership with Rother District Councils to launch the first smoke free beach in England.

From the 12th March 2025 Camber Sands will be designated voluntary smoke free. Visitors are being asked to support the initiative by choosing not to smoke on these beaches, helping to protect children and young people as well as the environment from the harmful effects of smoking.

This will be a beach litter survey – we will be recording all the litter we collect.

Sussex Wildlife Trust will provide all necessary equipment.

This is a free event, open to all ages.

Please note: This is not a drop off event. All under 18s MUST be accompanied by an adult who must also book a place.