Ullapool Sea Savers devise solution to litter blowing out of bins in gale–force weather
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Local environmental group, Ullapool Sea Savers, have been busy designing a solution to litter flying out of bins with their new bin clip campaign.
The bin clip campaign began with a visit from a bin lorry worker to the Sea Savers.
She asked for their help to tackle recurring issues she was witnessing first hand with the blue recycling bins, particularly the wind.
She told them that a lot of the litter around the village is actually the result of blue bins blowing over, and the rubbish scattering everywhere.
After a trip to the dump, meetings with Highland Council and other research, the Sea Savers came up with a campaign to fabricate bin clips to hold the bins closed, and to better educate people about what goes into the blue bins in the Highlands.
The Sea Savers have now made hundreds of bin clips using bungee cords, a wooden tag and the clips that a local oyster farmer uses to hold his oyster cages closed. The local group have been hard at work distributing these around the village, with a mission to get one on every bin in Ullapool.
Janis from Ullapool Sea Savers said: "Phenomenal effort from the kids handing out bin clips! They were out for seven hours going door–to–door around the village handing out the clips they've made, along with stickers showing what should and shouldn't go into the bins in Highland region.
"Bins blowing open and scattering their contents causes a lot of the litter around the village, these clips are designed to prevent that and reduce the amount of rubbish that ends up in our seas. The other big issue for blue bins is contamination – a very small amount for the wrong stuff in a blue bin means it all goes to landfill, hence the stickers we also handed out with the clips!
"Thanks to everyone for being so positive and supportive to the kids over the course of the day, really means a lot!"
