Recycled plastic bird sculpture nests on landfill site

A dramatic land sculpture of birds made from recycled plastics has been installed on a landfill site at Elland near Halifax as part of Yorkshire’s celebrations of the Tour de France.

Recycled plastic product manufacturer, Kedel Limited, made the starlings for the sculpture at its facility in Lancashire.

"We were delighted to be involved in this artistic project during the Tour de France," said Managing Director of Kedel, Dermot Walch.

All the waste left over from cutting out the birds will go back to the plastic sheet manufacturer it came from for recycling again.

The Starlings project is one of 12 large scale sculptures sited around the UK, 3 of which are in Calderdale to celebrate the Tour de France, which starts in Yorkshire on 6th July.

Starlings were chosen for the design theme because they are in decline in the UK, and the flocks were once a common sight in the North of England during the migration season.

"Siting this 'Swoop' of various sized starlings in flight on a capped landfill site in Elland seemed very appropriate, and making them from recycled plastic makes the project environmentally symbolic, as well as eco-friendly,” commented Lewis Walch, Kedel's Technical Director. "And this landfill was in use long before recycling came of age, and would have received many tonnes of plastic waste. These recycled plastic Starlings show how times have changed for the better."

"This 'Swoop' land sculpture has been installed as a permanent feature of the Elland landscape, and is part of the regeneration plans for the area, funded by Pennine Prospects in collaboration with the Local Authority."