A new, innovative recovery and recycling project undertaken by Keep Britain Tidy and Exeter City Council gave rise to the organisation of mass beach clear ups along the South West coast. Many local residents took part in these events and were able recover 20 tonnes of plastic waste and litter, including litter from local areas, marine waste washed up on the shores and fishing industry discarded equipment.
The main aim of the project was to find a permanent, viable solution to the waste and ensure that recycling of such low-grade plastic was wholly possible.
The Ocean Recovery Project works closely with research institutes to find a sustainable outcome allowing all those involved to see a tangible recycling process that all stakeholders could buy into. This approach has been highly motivational for all and helped to maintain support from the community.
Fairport Containers, over the past year has been working with the Council to support the project by providing the bulk Roll on Roll off recycling containers, thereby supplying the local area with means to collect all the plastic that has washed up on to the beach including bottles and fishing nets.
All waste material collected is transported to the Exeter City Council’s MRF station to be sorted and recycled. The application of the plastic recycling has been incredible to witness, and the functions of the products are awe inspiring to say the least. Uses have included the production of grit bins for local residents, kayaks for local companies and schools to utilise and one of the most high-profile projects has been the building of a stage for the Glastonbury Festival solely using recycled materials.
As a locally based company, we have found the experience of working with the Council and their direct actions to clean up the local environment, extremely rewarding.
This project has demonstrated to the public the value in recycling low grade plastics into products with useful practical applications whilst adding worthwhile support to the local community. Helping towards resourcing the future with our present-day waste.
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