Plastic pollution has become one of the most pressing environmental issues the world faces. Every year, about 8 million tons of plastic waste escapes into the oceans from coastal nations. That’s the equivalent of setting five garbage bags full of trash on every foot of coastline around the world.
Here at Floating Pontoon Hire we’re keen to do all we can to ensure we don’t add to those numbers and finding a home for our floats at the end of their service life ensures we are doing our bit.
Due to the hire nature of our business and the strength and longevity of our pontoon modules we actually have very little waste from our installs. Kit is used, cleaned and straight back out on hire. However pontoons get damaged and when that happens they are of course deemed unsafe to use and no longer in a position to be hired out.
Over a number of years such damaged floats have sat in a corner of our yard accumulating and doing nothing whilst we’ve searched for an alternative to landfill.
Luke Coxall our Operations Manager has made it a personal mission of his to find a sustainable way of disposing of these floats and that is where our relationship with Odyssey Innovation and Exeter City Council begins.
Odyssey Innovations are pioneering a circular economy through recycling marine plastic born from a passion to rid the seas of plastic pollution.
Founder Rob Thompson started this in 2014 and has been making waves along our coasts ever since recruiting multiple charities/government bodies/manufacturers/innovators and businesses involved in doing their part to save our planet.
Luke has now made the first delivery handing over nearly 100sqm of damaged pontoons to Exeter City Council. ECC are spearheading the recycling process for Odyssey, by taking the marine plastic and chipping it down prior to being shipped back to Odyssey ready to mould into one of their unique sea kayaks or paddleboards.
The hope is that when sold these kayaks and boards will be used as a means of collecting marine litter from hard to get to areas of the coast.
We hope to be able to show off the finished product once the pontoons have been shipped and moulded ready for their new life.
