SSEN Transmission and OMEXOM Support GRAB Trust’s Bid to Tackle Marine Litter Crisis at Arrochar Beach

Image: Members from SSEN Transmission, OMEXOM, Arrochar and Tarbert Community Development Trust and the GRAB Trust pose for a photo at Arrochar beach

  • GRAB Trust launches a project to tackle Arrochar's 'litter sink' on Loch Long

  • Project is supported by SSEN Transmission and OMEXOM through community funding

  • Part of CivTech Challenge which aims to reduce the volume of marine debris

The GRAB Trust is a charitable social enterprise founded in 1993 that promotes sustainable waste management and environmental preservation in Argyll & Bute through community engagement and education. The funding from SSEN Transmission and OMEXOM will help the GRAB Trust pursue a groundbreaking solution to one of Scotland’s most persistent environmental issues: the Arrochar beach “litter sink.”  

This stretch of shoreline, nestled at the head of Loch Long, receives an estimated 11% of all marine litter entering the River Clyde - a staggering figure driven by a convergence of natural forces including the shape of the Firth of Clyde, prevailing winds, tidal flows, and even the Coriolis effect caused by the Earth’s rotation.

Despite regular and extensive community clean-up efforts, Arrochar beach remains a visual and ecological burden for residents and visitors alike. The GRAB Trust’s CivTech proposal aims to harness technology to better understand, intercept, and ultimately reduce the volume of marine debris accumulating in this area.

Jacqui Willis, Beaches and Marine Litter Project Education Officer at the GRAB Trust, said:

“The development of technology to deal with the Arrochar Litter Sink will be truly transformational for the area with benefits for the environment, marine fisheries and the local economy.

“We are extremely excited to see the applications submitted for this challenge and to see how these ideas can be developed into affordable solutions for Arrochar and beyond.”

Duncan MacLachlan, Trustee at the Arrochar and Tarbet Community Development Trust, said:

“The community are grateful to the GRAB Trust and sponsors such as SSEN Transmission and OMEXOM who have provided support for the problem of marine litter that is accumulating at the head of Loch Long.

“To have the ever-increasing amount of plastic and other detritus reduced and removed from the shoreline in Arrochar will be a great step forward and if those responding to the CivTech Challenge will be able to find a long-term solution, it will improve the environment immensely.

“The problem has escalated to a level beyond the efforts and budgets of the community and the local authorities.  It really needs innovative ideas and collaboration from academics, businesses, individuals and entrepreneurial teams to produce a technical solution that will resolve the mounting issues we have in Arrochar and other shores on our coastline.”

SSEN Transmission and OMEXOM’s contribution reflects their ongoing commitment to protecting the environment where they work and community engagement throughout the Sloy-Windyhill project. By supporting local organisations like GRAB Trust, they are helping to address not only the infrastructure needs of Scotland’s energy future but also the environmental challenges facing its coastal communities.

“We’re extremely proud to support GRAB Trust in their mission to tackle marine litter at Arrochar,” said Martha Smart, Community Liaison Manager from SSEN Transmission.

“From early discussions I was captivated by the scale of this unique problem and the determined efforts over the years of GRAB and the community in Arrochar to tackle it with manual clean ups. I know many, myself included, along with our project team, are very excited to see what innovative solutions might emerge to address this challenge and make a lasting impact for the area’s residents. A special mention must be made to Jacqui at GRAB for all her work in making this happen.”

Lucy Horn, Environmental Advisor at OMEXOM added;

"Working in the vicinity of Loch Long has allowed us to witness firsthand the 'litter sink' happening at the banks of the loch, this issue creates a damaging effect to the local community both visually and ecologically.   We have been involved in attempting litter picks along the loch's edge to try and lessen the problem however it is far beyond the help of litter picks now. Omexom are proud to invest in the GRAB Trust to investigate new innovations to solve the problem."

If successful in the CivTech challenge, GRAB Trust could pioneer a scalable solution that benefits not only Arrochar but other coastal areas facing similar environmental pressures. The project stands as a testament to what can be achieved when industry, community, and technology come together to protect Scotland’s natural heritage.

SSEN Transmission’s Sloy-Windyhill overhead line refurbishment project involves upgrading a 14.5km section of 132kV overhead line between Sloy and Windyhill near Glenmallan. The original lines, constructed in the 1950s are reaching the end of their operational life and require refurbishment to ensure they can continue to operate safely and help keep the lights on.   

Once complete, the refurbished line will provide a more resilient network and security of electricity supply in the area. 

Learn more about the project here: https://www.ssen-transmission.co.uk/projects/project-map/sloy-to-windyhill-ohl-refurbishment-project/