An innovative scheme to turn discarded marine plastics into useful everyday items has been shortlisted for three national awards.
The initiative sees abandoned fishing nets from ports and harbours around the UK turned into exciting new items like plant pots, kayaks, surfboards, bins, boxes, and cups thanks to a recycling process that starts in Exeter.
Exeter City Council’s Materials Reclamation Facility collects the ‘ghost’ nets, shreds them, and then sends the processed plastic off for remodelling.
The Council’s collaboration with Odyssey Innovation in the Net Regeneration and Marine Regeneration Schemes has been shortlisted in the Aquaculture Awards 2024, Sustainability category, as well as the Great British Business Awards – Outstanding Contribution to the Community and Innovator of the Year categories.
Once deposited in Exeter, the nets are shredded using a granulator installed at the Council’s MRF on Exton Road, Marsh Barton before being batched up and sent off to be made into new items.
Matt Hulland, Exeter City Council’s Resource Recovery Manager, said: “These awards are recognition of all the achievements of the City Council’s staff who work at our Materials Reclamation Facility and of the many collaborators working with us across the UK to drive change and keep our oceans free from plastic waste and end-of-life fishing gear.
In this current financial year alone, the Council has salvaged and recycled over 130 tonnes of marine plastics and fishing gear, which has now been kept in the economy and turned into new goods."
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