title: From a millennium base line to 2012: beach litter changes in Wales.
abstract: Forty-five beaches at 41 bathing area locations in Wales were analysed for litter in 2000 and 2012, via a standard seven category checklist. Fourteen resorts, 2 urban, 11 village, 15 rural 3 remote, were graded, A to D. A grade beach numbers changed from 5 to19; B, 27 to 24; C, 9 to 2; D, 4 to 0, many beaches maintaining their current status. Assuming trend continuance within the next 12 years, the A:B grade ratio would approach equilibrium of 44:56, with no grade C or D beaches. Recreational litter was ubiquitous; fishing materials prevalent along Cardigan Bay. New water treatment plant investment reduced sewage related debris. Despite apparent increased awareness of beach litter, improving visitor behaviour through information/education should be a future priority. Removing a few gross items could improve beach grades at little cost to local authorities and benefits to the Welsh economy.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Applied Design and Engineering, University of Wales Trinity Saint David, Swansea, Wales SA1 6ED, UK; Geo - Centro de Estudos de Geografia e Planeamento Regional, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Av. De Berna 26C, Lisboa, Portugal. Electronic address: allan.williams@sm.uwtsd.ac.uk.
authors.forename: A T
authors.initials: AT
authors.lastname: Williams
authors.affiliation: School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, Cardiff, Wales CF10 3AX, UK. Electronic address: Randerson@cardiff.ac.uk.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Randerson
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Applied Design and Engineering, University of Wales Trinity Saint David, Swansea, Wales SA1 6ED, UK; Geography Department, Umm Al-Qura University, Makkah, Saudi Arabia. Electronic address: omar.alharbi@sm.uwtsd.ac.uk.
authors.forename: O A
authors.initials: OA
authors.lastname: Alharbi
mesh_terms: D001493:Bathing Beaches; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D062611:Solid Waste; D013997:Time Factors; D014852:Wales
chemical_list: D062611:Solid Waste
keywords: Beach litter; Markov model; Public recreation; Wales