Plastic washed up on the shores of a Sutherland beach is to find a new lease of life in the form of stand-up paddle boards for Finnish enthusiasts in the Baltic sea.
Shredded fish farm feeder pipes, ropes and nets washed up at Balnakiel is collected by Plastic@Bay – and now a 16 stone load has been ordered by Finnish company Bloft Design.
The Scandinavian company will use a 3D printer to make the plastic into paddle boards.
Plastic@Bay is supplying the plastic from fish farm feeder pipes and fishing ropes and nets washed up at Balnakiel.
Bloft CEO Atte Linna said: “Plastic recovered from the sea is often too dirty and difficult to handle to be the foundation for a profitable business.
“With our technology, we try to create the conditions for the recycling of marine plastic, and thus also for the local recycling business.”