What is flotsam? Flotsam is rubbish that people have dumped in the sea and which has floated on to the beach. Most flotsam is plastic.

Flotsam

Flotsam can be any rubbish washed up, such as this tyre.

Flotsam is anything that has floated. This is the most common kind of river and seaside rubbish. There is some natural flotsam, such as branches of trees, but nowadays much of it is material that has been dumped by people.

A surprising number of things float, such as wheels with tyres and all kinds of plastic.

Video: Flotsam.

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