A “DO not touch” warning has been issued over “potentially hazardous” debris being washed up on a UK beach.
Items, such as insulation foam, were first spotted on the beach at South Hayling, in , a few days ago.
The large chunks of foam being washed up on the beachCredit: Facebook/ Jo Morris
Hayling Island, Hampshire, where the pollution has been reportedCredit: Ian Whittaker
They are believed to have come from dozens of shipping containers that toppled over from cargo ships near the on January 8.
Havant Borough Council has now reiterated its warning for children and to be kept away.
“Recently we have received reports of possible shipping container debris (such as insulation foam) washing up on the beach at South Hayling,” a spokesperson said.
“The situation continues to be monitored, with regular patrols taking place and teams continuing to collect any debris that washes up so it can be safely removed.
“Whilst we appreciate everyone helping to keep our beaches clean, please do not touch or attempt to remove any debris, as contents may be unknown and potentially hazardous.”
Anyone who spots suspected debris is being urged to share the location with authorities ”so it can be dealt with safely”.
The containers fell from two separate cargo ships, one of which reported losing 17 near the Nab Tower.
The second one lost seven more south of St Catherine’s Point at around midnight.
Bad has been blamed for both these incidents.
Locals shared pictures on , showing large chunks of insulation foam on the beach.
“Varying sizes, we picked up a carrier bag full between Eastoke Corner and Coastguard,” one post read.
Underneath, a woman stressed it had only been “a matter of time” before the debris polluted nature.
She added: “Selsey beach was absolutely covered in it at one point.
“Worryingly, some of the new containers that fell off a ship in the most recent storms were also refrigerated ones so we’ll probably see more of this as they break up … it’s really brittle and breaking into smaller and smaller pieces…”
This comes after 16 shipping containers carrying thousands of bananas plunged into the Solent strait in December.
The Containers Lost at Sea Report 2025 by the World Shipping Council showed that 576 containers were lost in 2024 across the world, out of over 250 million that were transported.
People walking their dogs on the beach have been told to make sure they are staying away from the foamCredit: Ian Whittaker
Hayling island has a population of around 18,000Credit: Getty
Eze Chidiebere Paul
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