There is no ocean plastic recycling facility in the UK. Harbours or NGOs that recycle fishing gear must send it abroad — either to Aquafil in Slovenia or Plastix Global in Denmark. Aquafil accepts only nylon nets, which are chemically recycled into Econyl yarn used to make swimwear, running shoes and carpets. Plastix recycles a broader range of ocean plastic — including fishing nets, trawls and rigid plastics — into quality recycled plastic material (pellets), which have been used to create compost bins, recycling crates, outdoor furniture, kayaks and footwear. Collection is free for consignments over 30 tonnes, making it unsuitable for smaller harbours without sufficient storage space.
Odyssey Innovation, based in the South West of England, has partnered with Plastix Global to turn recycled ocean plastic into kayaks and other circular economy products. We collect end-of-life fishing gear from Newquay Harbour, St Ives Harbour, and a centralised drop-off point serving smaller harbours, as well as ocean plastic recovered during beach cleans.
This article was originally featured on Plastic@Bay — read the full piece here.
👉 Want to recycle your fishing gear for free? Find out more about our Net Regeneration Scheme or get in touch.