A North Somerset coastal town will be one of only 16 in the country earmarked to receive a GreenSeas Trust bin for recycling plastics over the next two years.
Made from recycled plastic, the bin's iconic design has been created to help people make the connection between litter thrown in waterways or left on beaches and the harmful effect this has on marine life and human health. Each bin is both symbolic and practical in reducing plastic pollution.
Portishead was awarded the plastic recycling bin after the town council's community engagement officer, Nicky Mills, put an application presentation together for GreenSeas demonstrating the town’s commitment to the local environment.
The bin, which will be emptied by North Somerset Council and cleaned and maintained by Portishead Town Council, will be placed at the marina, where a capstan currently stands, close to the water’s edge near the lock gates. The historic capstan will remain at the marina but will be moved to a new location several metres away.
It is expected to be installed in July, followed by an official ribbon-cutting ceremony attended by Fazilette Khan, the founder of GreenSeas, which is dedicated to the memory of her mother Haida Khan, who loved the sea with a passion. Fazilette is a former Merchant Naval officer and cruise company environmental officer.
The GreenSeas Trust is a marine conservation charity which works to stop plastics from entering the ocean, and the BinForGreenSeas initiative provides a solution to the global problem. The bin will be the eighth to be installed by the trust, the first was installed in Blackpool in 2019.
Chair of Portishead Town Council, Paddy Sterndale, said: "We’re really proud that Portishead is leading the way by being one of the first eight places in the UK selected to receive one of these bins.
"We hope it will make people stop and think about how much plastic we just throw away and it helps to reduce the amount of plastic that enters our seas and waterways."
Work to reposition the capstan at Portishead marina is expected to get underway in the next few days.
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