BEACH-GOERS are being urged to take rubbish home or use bins provided as additional measures are introduced to tackle increased litter as lockdown is eased.
On Tuesday, bins on the seafront in Brighton and Hove were left overflowing after crowds flocked to the beach to make the most of the fine weather.
Pictures showed beer cans, food containers and plastics bags stuffed with rubbish dumped on top of already full bins near the Palace Pier.
Brighton and Hove City Council said it has put about 70 additional large communal-type bins on the seafront, but said some people are still leaving their waste beside existing triple bins while new ones "remain empty".
Clear signage is also being put on the new bins to ensure beach-goers know they can be used for general rubbish rather than trade waste.
However, even if additional bins do become full, residents are urged to find a bin that is not full or to take their rubbish home.
Council leader Phélim Mac Cafferty said: “The easing of lockdown and warm weather has meant thousands of people gathering on the beach and seafront, leading to a huge build-up of extra waste.
"There’s cautious optimism as our focus remains on how we re-open in a safe way but we all have to play our part to keep our city clean and welcoming.
“Planning ahead for the return of the warm weather, the council has already put in place a range of measures to deal with extra rubbish.
"This includes 70 extra large bins, additional crews emptying the bins and a team collecting side waste.
"On Monday we agreed our plan to manage the city safely through the next weeks and months.
"And we want to keep visitors and local businesses and residents safe – enabling them to enjoy the city safely."
The council said it is increasing signage on the seafront and in other parts of the city to tackle beach litter as the weather improves and lockdown is eased.
These include signs to remind people they face on-the-spot fines of £150 for littering, and pavement stencilling and vinyls from Brighton railway station to the seafront, reminding people to use a bin that is not full or to take their rubbish home.
Cllr Mac Cafferty added: “There are almost 400 bins along the seafront that people can use for their rubbish.
“We all want to enjoy our beautiful beach and seafront, but waste accumulating around bins while other bins lie empty not only creates an eyesore, it is dangerous to our health and safety.
“Much of this waste also ends up on the beach or in the sea where we know it’s causing terrible damage to the environment.
“I’m urging everyone to please take pride in our beautiful city, look after our beach and seafront, as well as ourselves, and dispose of their rubbish properly or take it home.
“Our crews will be out playing their part, but we need you to play your part too.
"Don’t leave rubbish beside a bin that’s already full. Rubbish bags are easily pulled apart and then cause rubbish and health hazards.”
The council also said it recognised the problem regarding sufficient access to toilets on the seafront, after long queues built up on Tuesday as people flocked to enjoy the sunshine.
Long lines of beachgoers were seen queuing along the promenade to use the toilets in Hove and near the West Pier.
Residents complained that there was a “constant stream of people urinating” in South Street.
A council spokesman said: “We realise there were issues with queueing outside some of our public toilets on Tuesday.
"This was due to the sheer number of people on the seafront, the unusually warm weather which was the hottest day in March for decades, and the fact that no other toilets are open at present – all issues that present a significant challenge.
“Bars, cafes and restaurants are selling food and drinks, but are not allowed to open their toilets to customers. This will change from April 12 when any bar, cafe or restaurant who open for outdoor use by their customers must also open their toilets to customers.
“However, in recognition of the problem, we have already started our summer opening times for toilets, so they are opening for longer hours.
“We have recently allocated an extra £50,000 to place temporary toilets at key locations around the city including the seafront as we expect the seafront to be busy from now and throughout the summer.”
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