A person wearing a navy blue Marine Conservation Society t-shirt, jeans, and a tan cap laughing while using a litter picker. The camera angle is low, looking up at the person against a bright, clear blue sky. A blurred plastic bottle is in the foreground.

Litter pick

By removing litter from the environment, you’ll help the ocean and the wildlife within it.
Check out our beach cleans page

Litter picking for DofE

Litter picking is a direct action that makes a big difference to the ocean.

80% of litter in the sea starts on the land, so wherever you are, the simple act of removing a piece of litter from the environment prevents it from entering the seas and causing harm to marine animals.

DofE Assessors: Unfortunately we cannot act as Assessors for your award. Please see the advice on choosing an Assessor on the DofE website.
a large accumulation of litter

A large accumulation of litter

Step-by-step plans

Our step-by-step plans show you how to run your own litter pick or beach clean:

DofE Litter picking 3-month plan

DofE Litter picking 6-month plan 

DofE Litter picking 12-month plan 

A white dog laying on a sandy beach with a form and clipboard in front of it.

A volunteer's dog at a Great British Beach Clean  |  Image credit: Holtography

Be safe

Follow the guidance below and check out our Risk Assessment before you begin:

  • Use a litter picker if you can, and wear thick gloves - gardening gloves work well.
  • Don’t pick up sharp items like needles or glass.
  • Don’t touch anything that might be dangerous chemicals or substances, and don’t try to move large or heavy items. Report these items to your local council’s waste department.
  • Don’t pick up or move injured or dead animals. You can report injured animals to the RSPA in England and Wales, or the SSPCA in Scotland.
  • Don’t climb up or under anything to retrieve litter.
  • Avoid litter picking along road verges, busy roads, near railway lines or on bridges. If you're litter picking near a river, be sure to stay well away from the water's edge.
  • Always be aware of your surroundings.

This project is funded by the Government's Green Recovery Challenge Fund. The fund was developed by Defra and its Arm's-Length Bodies. It is being delivered by The National Lottery Heritage Fund in partnership with Natural England, the Environment Agency and Forestry Commission.

Green Recovery Challenge Fund

Green Recovery Challenge Fund

Co-funded by the European Union

Other ways to volunteer for your Duke of Edinburgh Award

A cardboard campaign sigh that reads "One World" and an image of the Earth in the middle

Campaign

Find out how you can fight to save our seas while completing your DofE award.
A person with long brown hair, wearing a black jacket and blue jeans, is kneeling by a rocky shore and looking at a guide book for identifying seaweed

Search for seaweed

Contribute to our database and help us monitor environmental changes and manage these vital resources.
A fundraiser swimming for Marine Consevation Society. A pier can be seen behind her.

Fundraise

The money you raise will help us fight for our ocean and defend habitats and species.