Eco breakthrough as Caithness beach cleaners help recycle old nets into sunglasses and knife handles
An environmental group that cleans up Caithness beaches is delighted to make positive steps towards its eco goals with a new recycling initiative.
Dorcas Sinclair from Caithness Beach Cleans said that since starting the group several years ago she has been “disappointed in the amount of waste that goes to landfill”.
Dorcas continued: “As you know we make doormats from rope and wheelie bin closers from creel hooks but there is so much rope and net that we cannot use and it was all going into landfill.
“At last, I have come up with a way of putting much less rope and nets to landfill.”
Dorcas says she contacted a Cornish company called Waterhaul that uses recycled rope and nets to make frames for sunglasses, knife handles and litter pickers.
“They had done a promotion where they would send you a small paper sack and if you filled it and sent it back you would receive a voucher for their products.
“I wrote to them and told them if they were serious we could send them a ton bag of rope and net.”
The company responded and the first bag is due to be picked up next Monday, says Dorcas. Caithness Livestock Breeders in Thurso provided Dorcas and her husband Allan with special ton bags that they required, which are bigger than those previously used.
“Denchi at the Business Park in Thurso is letting us use their hard standing to leave the bag for the lorry to come and pick up.
“It has been interesting getting the bag onto the trailer but Allan is very good at problem solving and using scaffolding and a chain block sorted that problem out.”
Caithness Beach Cleans also produces special hooks made from discarded creels that help keep wheelie bins from opening in windy weather and can be purchased from the group.
