Cardiff Harbour Authority (CHA) in partnership with local
recycling organisation RPC bpi recycled products
and Eventclean, has today welcomed Welsh Government Minister for Environment,
Hannah Blythyn AM to unveil some innovative new seating for Cardiff Bay
Barrage.
Four new Plaswood benches have been produced as a result of recycling plastic film collected from the Cardiff stopover of the Volvo Ocean Race earlier this summer, an internationally elite sailing event which aims to raise awareness and take action against ocean plastic pollution. The benches were purchased by Eventclean, the waste management company who collect and sort event waste in order for it to be recycled, as their legacy following the Volvo Ocean.
During the
event over 280kg of plastic film was collected and taken to RPC bpi recycled
products' facility in Rhymney, South Wales. It was then sorted, washed and made
into plastic pellets ready for re-manufacture into second-life products, such
as refuse sacks and plastic furniture, as part of the Plaswood product range.
Plastic film
can be difficult to recycle via normal streams, as it is often rejected by
standard municipal waste sorting facilities.
Cabinet Member
for Clean Streets, Recycling and Environment Councillor Michael Michael said:
"Cardiff is a lead city for hosting major events and it is equally
important that we lead in sustainability and minimising our plastic footprint
during such events. These benches represent best practice for recycling and
show Cardiff's commitment to support the fight against single-use plastic.
"Recycling
will continue to be a priority at future events, for example we will be working
again with RPC bpi who will be responsible for recycling the plastic film
produced at Cardiff Harbour Festival hosts Extreme Sailing Series™, which is taking place in Cardiff Bay from 25-27
August."
Director of
Eventclean, Marc Fowkes, said: "We are delighted that the benches will be
situated in a public place near the event site, as they mark the fact that the
plastic film was recycled and turned into furniture. Hopefully the initiative
will encourage recycling in the future."
Welsh
Government Minister for Environment, Hannah Blythyn AM said: "The Volvo
Ocean Race stopping in Cardiff was a major event for the city. It also promoted
initiatives to cut down on single-use plastics, such as my aim to provide water
refill points in key communities along the Wales Coast Path.
"We should
be very proud in Wales that we're not only the top nation in the UK for
recycling, we're one of the best in the World. We need to continue to build on
this and find ways to innovate, and the benches are an excellent example of how
single-use plastics can be reused to benefit the community."
Featuring a
bilingual engraving: ‘Made from plastic film collected at the Volvo Ocean Race
Cardiff Stopover', the four benches will take pride of place near the
children's play area on Cardiff Bay Barrage.