Marine plastics in Orkney to be tackled as part of pilot project

Orkney’s fight against plastic litter in our seas and beaches has taken a step forward.

The county has been selected to be part of a pilot project aimed at tackling marine plastic pollution on ten UK islands from the Outer Hebrides to the Channel Islands.

Orkney will now play a key role in developing a strategy the island communities will work to implement in 2019 in a bid to make plastics in our seas and on our coastline a thing of the past.

It is hoped that this strategy will assist in providing a template for global action on the issue.

The initiative is part of the Cold Water Islands Project, led by the national marine conservation and campaigning charity Surfers Against Sewage, who has joined forces with Parley for the Oceans.

Co-ordinator of the project here in Orkney, Carol Campbell is hopeful sustained action will occur.

She said: “Many of Orkney’s community are already engaged with cleaning our beaches and reducing single-use plastics.

“By continuing to work together, helping and supporting each other, we can get more people to join our movement, to clean and protect our home and help us achieve our plastic free goal.

“For the protection of all Orkney’s species, it is vitally important we remove pollutants to ensure a safe and sustainable home.”