Thousands of plastic cartons washed up on Blue Flag beach

THOUSANDS of empty plastic containers, washed up near Blue Flag beaches in east Cork, are thought to have come from one of seven containers lost at sea last month.

Almost 4km of strand east of Ballycotton were littered yesterday with the empty butter containers, both domestic and industrial sizes.

The bulk of the pollution came ashore at Ardnahinch, Shanagarry “just a stone’s throw” from Garryvoe, one of Cork County Council’s most awarded Blue Flag beaches, in recognition of clean water and litter-free sand.