News 

Research highlights that our shores are still awash with discarded waste.

New research from Keep Northern Ireland Beautiful has found no progress from last year on marine litter, as many of the same indicators remain at alarmingly high levels.

85% of the litter found on Northern Ireland’s beaches is made from plastic, representing a marginal increase from last year.

For well over a decade, The Marine Litter Report, which is funded by the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA), has laid out the marine litter problem in NI. This year’s report shows that the average number of litter items per 100 metres of beach surveyed was 500, highlighting the high levels of litter that are still posing a threat to marine wildlife.

Overall, 26,442 items of litter were recorded on beaches surveyed in 2025, demonstrating why strong anti-litter policy measures such as a Litter Strategy and many others outlined in the Environmental Improvement Plan need to be implemented urgently.

The Marine Litter Report also includes the ten most common items of litter across beaches, which once again are dominated by plastics. 85% of all the marine litter recorded in Northern Ireland contained plastic. 45% of all plastics found are small, under 2.5cm in size. These small bits of plastic cause significant damage to marine wildlife and ecosystems.

The Marine Litter Report is an annual survey of 12 beaches around Northern Ireland’s coasts that are assessed by a team of trained operatives during the four seasons of the year. Drawing on the international OSPAR methodology, the results from each survey are added to a central database of 15 governments and the EU cooperate to protect the marine environment of the North-East Atlantic.

Eric Randall, Chief Executive of Keep Northern Ireland Beautiful, said:

“This report highlights that our marine litter problem is still very much with us. It is growing in some areas and stagnating in others. We can do so much better, and with the right policies in place, I know we can achieve better.

We need the environment to be a prominent issue. This report highlights why change cannot wait, and we all need to step up the progress in our fight against litter. Building a circular economy and reducing our waste are keys to success in this area. My hope is that the findings in this report encourage policymakers and the public to value and protect our marine areas better for future generations.”

DAERA Minister Andrew Muir said: “I welcome the publication of the Marine Litter Report 2025 by Keep Northern Ireland Beautiful and express my appreciation to the volunteers and survey teams whose commitment to monitoring and cleaning our coastline continues to make a meaningful difference.”

“The report shows that marine litter, especially plastic, remains a serious and growing problem. It is a clear reminder that preventing waste from reaching our seas in the first place is essential. Everyone has a part to play and by working together, raising awareness and using strong evidence to guide policy, we can make real progress in cutting beach litter.”

“As Minister, I am working to tackle the problem locally through the development of a Plastic Pollution Plan for Northern Ireland which will be finalised later this year. The introduction of a Deposit Return Scheme next autumn will also contribute to significantly reducing the volume of plastic finding its way on to our beaches.”

Read the Marine Litter Report at www.keepnorthernirelandbeautiful.org/marinelitter.