52-year-old crisp packet on beach among weirdest litter finds in Suffolk
A fragment of a Golden Wonder crisp packet found on Bawdsey beach. The text mentions the Mexico Olympics which took place in 1968, making the piece at least 52 years old. Picture: JASON ALEXANDER - Credit: Archant
A 52-year-old crisp packet, ancient Nik Naks packaging and Murray Mints wrapping from at least 1971 are among some of the most ancient litter finds in Suffolk.
A packet of Nik Naks from the 1980s, found in Brazier's Wood in Ipswich, next to a more modern alternative. Picture: JASON ALEXANDER - Credit: Archant
Rubbish Walks founder and environmental campaigner Jason Alexander has been sharing some of his older discoveries from his litter picks across the county.
The most dated was the fragment of a Golden Wonders crisp packet, found in Ipswich’s Brazier’s Wood, which referenced the 1968 Mexico Olympics - meaning it is at least 52 years old.
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Yet that is not the only litter he has stumbled across from the era.
A Marathon bar wrapper from the 1980s, found in Foxhall. Picture: JASON ALEXANDER - Credit: Archant
He has also found Murray Mints packaging from Bawdsey beach with the price still in old money, meaning it must have been there since 1971 at the earliest.
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Other finds include products that no longer exist, such as a Marathon bar from the 1980s, as well as a 1988 Twix wrapper which showed the bars in those days cost just 17p.
One of his latest finds, from Shingle Street, is a Lyons Maid Wonder Woman lolly stick from the 1970s.
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A Coca-Cola can from 1977-78, found in Foxhall. Picture: JASON ALEXANDER - Credit: Archant
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Mr Alexander said some of the finds offered a trip down memory lane, such as his discovery of a 54321 bar packaging on Bawdsey beach.
However, to him they also demonstrate the huge environmental risk of littering.
“It’s incredible how long this plastic lasts in the environment,” he said.
“The contents might be eaten in just a couple of minutes but, if you don’t dispose of the empty packet properly, it could still be polluting the environment for multiple decades.”
A 1985 packet of Smith's Salt 'N' Shake crisps, found in Foxhall. Picture: JASON ALEXANDER - Credit: Archant
He pointed to how a Tesco carrier bag he found, which advertised the supermarket’s SchoolsNet 2000 campaign was still in a good condition - showing how plastic and pollute the environment for years.
“If you don’t want your next packet of crisps to be polluting the environment for the next 50+ years then please dispose of it properly,” he said.
A packet of Murray Mints, with the pricing in old money - meaning it would have dated from at least the 1960s. Picture: JASON ALEXANDER - Credit: Archant
A Tesco carrier bag from 2000, found in Brazier's Wood in Ipswich. Picture: JASON ALEXANDER - Credit: Archant
A Treets wrapper found on Bawdsey beach. Picture: JASON ALEXANDER - Credit: Archant
Jason Alexander has found lots of rubbish dated over 30 years old on his litter picks. Picture: JASON ALEXANDER - Credit: Archant
A 54321 bar from the early 1980s, found on Bawdsey beach. Picture: JASON ALEXANDER - Credit: Archant
Wrapping paper from a Mars bar found on Bawdsey beach. The packaging is dated from the mid 1980s. Picture: JASON ALEXANDER - Credit: Archant
A 1988 Twix wrapper from 1988, found on Bawdsey beach. Picture: JASON ALEXANDER - Credit: Archant
