Sand Safe
Help us Keep Our Beaches Safe
Falmouth Town Council and Safer Falmouth, the multi-agency partnership working to reduce and prevent crime, disorder, and anti-social behaviour, are asking for everyone’s help in keeping Falmouth’s beaches safe for residents, visitors and marine life. An essential part of local life, Falmouth’s beaches offer a spectacular environment for recreation and support the town’s tourist economy, and problems like open fires, dog fouling and littering can threaten the public’s safety and could lead to the loss of a beaches’ Blue Flag status.
By working together to keep the sand safe, we can ensure a safer, cleaner and greener environment for everyone.
Sand Safe, the new campaign from Falmouth Town Council and Safer Falmouth, aims to improve beach safety by promoting these three simple rules:
- No open fires on the beaches
- Clean up after your dog and adhere to summer dog restrictions
- Bin your litter and leave only footprints
No open fires on the beaches. BBQ’s are permitted on some beaches but must be disposed of in the bins provided.
A fire may sound like fun but burning material can cause serious health issues. Screws in timber, sharp metal grill plates and embers can cause injury to adults, children and animals. Fires can cause plastic ‘pebbles’– a combination of melted plastic, shingle and seaweed- that can enter the food chain with devastating consequences for wildlife. Stick to a BBQ where permitted, follow the safety instructions provided, never leave a BBQ unattended, keep children and pets away and let the BBQ cool completely preferably using water or sand before moving it and disposing of it carefully and responsibly in the bins provided. Never bury a BBQ in the sand as this could cause serious injury.
Clean up after your dog and adhere to summer dog restrictions.
We are a nation of dog lovers, but we need to look after our animals responsibly to protect our beaches and the community. The average dog produces a staggering 20 stone of waste annually, and if left on the beaches this damages the environment and poses a health risk, particularly to children. Make sure you pick it up, and don’t leave the bags on the beach!
Bin your litter and leave only footprints.
A day at the beach often involves a food and fun, but it is important to use the bins on the beach or take everything home with you to recycle. Litter, particularly plastic, will go straight into the ocean and will begin harming wildlife right away, entangling animals and entering the food chain. Be mindful of what you bring to the beach, and make sure you take everything home with you afterwards. The Sand Safe campaign is launching in 2020 to raise awareness of issues relating to open fires, safe use and disposal of BBQ’s, dog fouling and littering on the beaches. Watch out for the Sand Safe Team on Falmouth’s beaches, where they will be helping to inform the public on the best ways to keep our beaches clean and safe.
