Surfers Against Sewage is widely recognised as the environmental charity that helped significantly improve bathing water quality standards right around the UK. Established in 1990 by a group of passionate, local surfers and beach lovers in the picturesque north coast villages of St Agnes and Porthtowan, the organization swiftly created a national movement calling for improved water quality UK-wide. This initial campaign led to water companies investing approximately £5 billion in sewerage infrastructures, and a dramatic improvement in the cleanliness of our oceans and rivers. Water quality remains a core campaign in 2012 with the alarming increase in sewage discharged via combined sewer overflows and the revised European Bathing Water Directive about to strip many UK beaches of their coveted standards.

SAS continues to build its catalogue of environmental successes through its mission to protect the UK’s oceans, waves and beaches for all to enjoy safely and sustainably, via community action, campaigning, volunteering, conservation, education and scientific research. It has won many accolades for its recent initiatives including a BBC Coast Magazine Award for best ‘Marine Green’ project on marine litter and this year being shortlisted in the Observer Ethical Awards 2012.

“Surfers Against Sewage (SAS) is an environmental charity protecting the UK’s oceans, waves and beaches for all to enjoy safely and sustainably, via community action, campaigning, volunteering, conservation, education and scientific research.”

SAS projects target environmental issues affecting beaches including marine litter, sewage pollution, climate change, toxic chemicals, shipping and coastal development.

A page on SAS site showing where the money goes: http://www.sas.org.uk/where-the-money-goes/

SAS has over 50,000 active supporters across the UK.

SAS is a registered charity in England and Wales No: 1145877