One of Wales' busiest beaches named among worst in UK for litter

People living near one of south Wales' most popular beaches have said the beach often becomes strewn with rubbish and have called for visitors to show more respect. It comes after the beach was named Wales' worst beach for litter according to data collected from TripAdvisor. Residents living near Whitemore Bay at Barry Island have made the comments after research collected by Business Waste - a waste brokerage firm - concluded that the beach at Whitemore Bay has the most comments about litter on TripAdvisor than any other beach in Wales. According to the company the beach, which saw tens of thousands of visitors in just one day this weekend, is the fifth worst beach for litter in the UK. The data showed 3.21% of reviews mentioned litter left behind by beachgoers at Whitmore Bay. Whitmore Bay was the only beach in Wales included in the top ten across the UK. Whitesands Bay in St Davids was one of only three beaches in the UK that did not receive a single comment mentioning litter. Announcements are made throughout the day on Whitmore Bay telling visitors to use the bins provided or take rubbish home rather than leaving it on the beach, but many visitors ignore this. One reviewer wrote: "On a visit to Barry Island for the day we visited the beach. On the whole it was very clean and there were announcements asking people to please put rubbish in the bins provided (of which there were plenty) yet still a family dumped their rubbish and left while we were there." Not only is beach litter an eyesore but it can be harmful to the environment, wildlife and other people visiting the beach. Beach litter commonly left behind includes plastic such as food packaging, bottles and cups. Plastic can remain in the environment for many years, either trapping or injuring animals as well as breaking down into microplastics which can enter water, marine life and food chains. Residents in Barry and frequent beachgoers have shamed those leaving litter behind, calling it "absolutely disgraceful". After the hot weather over May bank holiday weekend, one person wrote on social media: "Seeing images on here of the state some of our beaches have been left in over the last few days, in particular Barry Island, is absolutely disgraceful. "Litter everywhere, even though the beach and prom are plastered with litter bins. Take your litter home, or put it in the bins provided." They continued: "It makes me so mad, I once saw a woman change her baby's nappy on the beach and then bury the dirty one in the sand, absolutely shocking. I'd be mortified if anyone I knew did that." Another wrote: "Bin it at the beach or take it home."