Ocean Plastic Pots have been working together with The Scottish Islands Federation Marine Litter Working Group, Skye Beach Cleans, and The Scottish Coastal Clean Up to recycle rope, fishing net, and marine litter collected from beach cleans from the Scottish Islands. The communities of Skye, Eigg, Rum, Muck, Coll and Canna have all been involved collecting rope and nets from their beaches to be recycled.
This pilot project, a first of its kind in Scotland, has been supported by the Ocean Recovery Project, part of Keep Britain Tidy, Emily Johns from Skye Beach Cleans and Catherine Davies from the Scottish Islands Federation Marine Litter Working Group.
All the rope and net material collected, which is highly recyclable, has been sorted and taken to Mallaig Harbour on the West coast of Scotland, with the support of Mallaig Harbour Association and the Highlands and Islands Council. From there it will be sorted by colour and recycled in the UK before being manufactured in Scotland into Ocean Plastic Pots.
A boat bought by The Scottish Coastal Clean Up specifically to assist with beach cleaning projects has been used to reach previously inaccessible areas of Skye.