Cigarette stubs, plastic packets, period products and wet wipes are four of the most common bits of rubbish fished out of the River Tay.
Volunteer litter pickers from the Upstream Battle campaign have been combing the river for waste since the Keep Scotland Beautiful project began last year.
They worked at six sites along the length of the river.
These included Aberfeldy, Nytie Burn, Perth, Dundee, Dighty Water and Broughty Ferry.
What’s the most common form of rubbish in the River Tay?
Cigarettes are at the top of the list, which volunteers counted more than any other item.
Sewage related debris, which includes wet wipes and period products, were also a serious issue.
Volunteers collected a lot of this kind of rubbish on Broughty Ferry beach.
The river’s well-known beauty also appeared to have a negative side.
Many of the plastic items fished from the waters came from food and drink packaging, with visitors apparently stopping by the riverside for a break.
The report authors put other bits of plastic waste down to the extra packaging and use of some items during the pandemic.
Barry Fisher is CEO at Keep Scotland Beautiful.
He said: “We know that 80% of marine litter comes from land. We need to tackle this problem upstream.
“Our stats also highlight that litter levels are on the rise. Our poll shows 88% of people believe that litter is a problem nationally. This is unacceptable.
“If we want to get rid of marine litter in our seas and oceans we need to understand how, where and what types of litter are getting into our local waterways.
He said the report “really highlights the level of the problem on the Tay.”
“The data will help build a wider picture of the litter out there and its potential impact. That will allow us to target the problem effectively.”
John Alexander is leader of Dundee City Council.
He said: “It’s critical we continue to receive buy-in from all who live, work, study and visit Dundee.
“The will help us to take the required action to prevent litter from entering the River Tay from land and the damaging effects it can have.”
What is the Upstream Battle?
Volunteers carried out 39 local surveys, fishing out more than 3,000 items from Scotland’s longest river.
The Upstream Battle group have timed their report to coincide with World Oceans Day.
Conversation