UK beaches blighted by balloons and discarded bags of dog poo | Environment | The Guardian
►http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2012/mar/22/uk-beaches-balloons-dog-poo?intcmp=122
Dog poo wrapped in plastic bags discarded by careless owners has emerged as one of the biggest single threats to the health and safety of beach visitors, a marine conservation charity has warned. [...]
The charity says the volume of dog excrement in bags left on UK beaches rose 11% between 2010 and 2011. Scotland recorded the biggest increase – 71% in one year.
MCS Beachwatch officer Lauren Davis says the findings reveal good and bad habits: "We’re delighted that pet owners enjoy dog-friendly beaches and clearly think ahead by carrying poop-scoop bags. But we hope our findings will now encourage them to take the bag off the beach and bin it in one of the many receptacles provided for the job.