A new distinctively styled bin called BinForGreenSeas, the first of its kind in the country, has been placed on Blackpool Promenade to raise awareness about ocean pollution.
The strikingly designed bin, which is bright orange and shaped like a lifebuoy, has the tagline “Throw Marine Life a Lifeline” printed across it, and forms part of the BinForGreenSeas project launched by the GreenSeas Trust.
The aim of the GreenSeas Trust project is to locate more of these special bins in the next six years in major coastal towns around the country, to act as a visual trigger and enable people to make the connection between rubbish discarded on beaches and its effect on marine life.
Fazilette Khan, founder of the GreenSeas Trust, said: “I have witnessed first-hand the growing problem of marine debris. It was shocking to revisit many once pristine places around the world and find them now strewn with marine plastics and other rubbish.”
“I have decided to try and find an innovative approach to help tackle this serious problem. I wanted to connect the dots between our daily habits and marine pollution. While the bin is a receptacle for rubbish, its main purpose is to attract attention and educate people through the QR code and facts on the bin itself.”
“We want people to associate the lifebuoy bin shape with saving marine life. I am delighted that Blackpool is the location for the first bin as it is visited by over 18 million people each year and I understand how committed it is to environmental initiatives and keeping its beaches clean.”
Cllr Fred Jackson, Blackpool Council Cabinet Member for Environment, Transport, and Climate Change, said: “We are delighted to be the first council in the country to use this innovative and eye-catching approach to raising awareness to help reduce the quantity of rubbish in our seas.”
“While there is a growing concern about marine litter it is a fact that a major contributor to plastics being on beaches and in the sea is careless littering.”
“We are pleased to have supported the GreenSeas Trust with this project as we are proud that Blackpool has consistently been recognised through Keep Britain Tidy Seaside Awards for the quality of our water and beaches.”
“That recognition has been achieved through the ongoing work that we undertake with partner organisations such as Keep Britain Tidy, and those who work so hard to protect and improve our beaches, from beach managers and volunteers, to the local residents and businesses that have donated their time and energy to the LOVEmyBEACH campaign and our wider fight against littering."