Communities up and down the country will unite on Saturday 19 July to take a stand against the Government’s inaction on plastic pollution.
Protests and beach cleans will be taking place across the country as part of a National Day of Action organised by Surfers Against Sewage.
The largest protest will take place in Penzance, the first ever Plastic Free Community, where a ‘human chain’ of hundreds of people will show the town’s resistance to the plastic problem.
Campaigners and community groups from Penzance to Porthcawl are joining forces for a National Day of Action against plastic pollution this Saturday, 19 July. The Surfers Against Sewage “The People vs Plastic” campaign will see protestors descend on the UK’s beaches, city streets and everywhere in between to send a clear message: the government must act decisively to tackle plastic pollution at its source, to position the UK as a global leader in the fight against single-use plastics.
The campaign aims to ramp up the pressure on Government ahead of the Global Plastics Treaty negotiations, reconvening in Geneva from 5-14 August. Earlier talks collapsed in South Korea, last year, with countries failing to agree on reducing plastic production. Campaigners say that a legally binding Global Plastics Treaty is urgently needed to cut pollution at its source and protect blue spaces.
Ahead of the National Day of Action, communities from coast to city will host grassroots events, from “Trash Mobs” in local schools to community-led cleans, building momentum for the nationwide protest. Data will be collected during the community cleans, which will help Surfers Against Sewage map the true scale of plastic pollution, and name the brands and retailers most to blame.
The public can get involved by heading to the Surfers Against Sewage website to find a local protest to join or show support during the Week of Action by getting involved with a local Plastic Free Community close to home.
Communities and schools are at the forefront of Surfers Against Sewage’s campaign against plastic, with over 400 active Plastic Free Communities and over 3,000 Plastic Free Schools leading the way in the fight against plastic in their local area. So far in 2025, over 88,000 people have taken part in over 3,600 local cleans, collecting over 40,000kg of rubbish, as part of the charity’s Million Mile Clean initiative.
Giles Bristow, Chief Executive at Surfers Against Sewage, said:
“Broken promises, stalled progress, surging pollution. We are drowning in the toxic tide of plastic that continues to rise. Enough is enough, so we are rising up too. As families pack their buckets and spades and the summer holidays begin, there’s no better time to shine a light on the plastics choking our shores. The UK remains one of the worst offenders for generating single-use waste that travels the globe, and our government is still dawdling on action.
“We’re sick to death of plastic-pushing corporations fuelling this crisis while spinning greenwashing lies and pointing the finger at consumers. They churn out mountains of non-recyclable packaging, sabotage vital policies behind closed doors, and consistently miss every voluntary target. The Labour government pledged us a zero-waste future, we’re all ears, but we won’t settle for anything less.
“That’s why, on Saturday 19 July, as the school holidays get underway, we’re calling on Ocean Activists from Penzance to Porthcawl and everywhere in between to make their voices heard. Whether you’re clearing your favourite beach or marching through city streets, communities hold the power to drive change. With Global Plastics Treaty negotiations just around the corner, we must turn up the heat. Together, we can become a force impossible for leaders, and polluters, to ignore.”
“As a town we have been working hard to reduce single-use plastic, but producers and brands are still pumping out products we just don’t want.It’s time to send a message that communities are doing their best to protect the ocean, now producers and big business must do the same.”
Lucy Jones, protest organiser in Porthcawl, Wales said:
“I’m taking part in the People vs Plastic protest and beach clean because I’m tired of seeing our beautiful coastlines polluted with plastic waste. This isn’t just about litter it’s about protecting marine life, preserving nature for future generations, and demanding real change from industries and governments. Every piece of plastic we remove, and every voice raised is a step towards a cleaner, healthier planet.”
The flagship protest, led by Surfers Against Sewage, will take place in Penzance, Cornwall. Rachel Yates is the Senior Communities Manager and leads the Plastic Free Communities movement at Surfers Against Sewage. She said: “Penzance was the first ever SAS Plastic Free Community. This weekend, we are standing up to the polluters and joining hands in a massive human chain along the promenade. Our voices will be heard loud and clear: we must stop the plastic problem, and the government must step up to protect our ocean from this threat.
“As a town we have been working hard to reduce single-use plastic, but producers and brands are still pumping out products we just don’t want. It’s time to send a message that communities are doing their best to protect the ocean, now producers and big business must do the same.”
Surfers Against Sewage is calling on the UK Government to deliver on the goals of the Global Plastics Treaty immediately through joined up and ambitious national plans to end plastic pollution, including:
• Setting legally-binding targets to cut plastic pollution
• Implementing an effective circular economy centred on reuse and refill, including the implementation of a comprehensive Deposit Return Scheme and introduction of binding reuse targets
• Holding polluters to account by enforcing current laws and delivering Extended Producer Responsibility schemes that make polluters pay.
Protest locations and National Week of Action information can be found on the Surfers Against Sewage website. Following the protest, the charity is encouraging people to sign a petition to put pressure on the Government to tackle the problem.
