Frisbee helps recovered plastics take flight

A frisbee being sold by UK retailer, Marks & Spencer, that is produced using plastics recycled from beach litter highlights the huge potential for reusing recovered resources in new products, according to the plastics recycler involved in the project.

Axion Polymers processed a total of 88kg assorted plastics collected from six UK beaches in last year’s Big Beach Clean-Up, an event organised by the Marine Conservation Society and Marks & Spencer, plastics that have been used in the production of the retailer’s ‘Beach Clean Frisbee’.

Extensive testing at Axion’s Salford facility proved it was possible to recycle rigid plastic debris, such as small toys and bottle tops, back into new products.

“We applaud M&S for their efforts. Plastic from litter back into new products is clearly an interesting approach, yet it’s only the tip of the iceberg in terms of the massive opportunity that exists to use recyclates from all sources - be that end of life products from waste disposal points or collected litter – in new consumer goods,” Axion Director, Keith Freegard, commented.

“Reduction in littering is a key issue, but just as important is the need for a wholesale shift to a circular flow of materials based around a strong UK economy where all plastics used for products are captured, efficiently reprocessed and reused for manufacturing new ones.”

Freegard added: “We look forward to a future where more than 75 percent of retailers’ products contain over 75 percent recycled content from materials captured and manufactured within the UK and Europe.”