South Tyneside Council is launching the Feed the Fish initiative to reduce plastic waste left on the beach and washed up on shores. The initiative aims to encourage visitors to recycle their single-use plastic bottles and increase awareness of the environmental impact of plastic pollution.
Encouraging Visitors to Support the Environment
The Feed the Fish initiative is a sculpture of a fish that visitors can feed their plastic bottles to, which will raise awareness about plastic pollution and its impact on marine life and birds. UNESCO estimates that plastic debris is responsible for the deaths of over one million seabirds and more than 100,000 mammals every year.
Councillor Joan Atkinson, Deputy Leader of South Tyneside Council, said that the sculpture will inspire and engage beach visitors to support efforts to keep plastic off the beach and prevent it from being washed into the ocean. She added that every piece of plastic that is fed to the fish will make a difference to the planet by preventing pollution and supporting recycling.
Local schools and groups will be working with the Council over the coming months to develop the sculpture further. The Feed the Fish initiative supports the Borough’s ‘Protect our Ocean’ campaign, which highlights the importance of coastal education around issues such as single-use plastics and reusable materials.
Positive Action for Ocean Recovery
The Council has declared an urgent need for ocean recovery and made a commitment to take action to help enhance and restore nature and protect the coastline. Councillor Ernest Gibson, Lead Member for Transport and Neighbourhoods at South Tyneside Council, said that the Feed the Fish initiative is part of all the work they are doing in the fight against climate change and in raising awareness of the importance of oceans and the need to protect them.
South Tyneside also leads the Local Government Association’s (LGA) Coastal Special Interest Group (SIG) and champions coastal communities on a national level. The Council introduced 25 additional recycling bins along the seafront area last summer to encourage residents and visitors to recycle their empty cans, glass, and plastic bottles while out and about. These types of recycling on-the-go bins will also be seen more widely in other areas of the Borough.
