Sunderland City Council has put the genie back in the plastic bottle following its decision to tackle plastic waste across its seafront areas via a partnership with container manufacturer and waste solutions provider, Egbert Taylor.

The move, which has seen the council roll out specially designed 660L bins wrapped with engaging calls to action for the Sunderland public to correctly dispose of their plastic beach waste, has already seen an uplift in plastics recycling.

Prior to installing the 660L units, the council had used unmarked containers that did not fully engage the public and had little visibility. Given how millions of people visit Sunderland and its beaches each year, this represented a missed opportunity that was resulting in some plastic waste being incorrectly disposed of.

Since installation, the new containers have been popular with businesses, residents and visitors to the area, who find the new bins easier to use, more explicit with regards to messaging and more in line with the current national awareness campaigns around plastic waste.

David Groark, Environmental Services Manager in the Commercial Services Team at Sunderland City Council, comments:

“Plastic waste is undoubtedly a huge problem, however the good news is that the UK appears to be willing to rise to the challenge of reducing it. Sunderland City Council is certainly keen to reduce unnecessary wastage, play its role in minimising any plastics litter and ensure that its beaches remain clean and attractive for those who enjoy using them. The new 660L bins have been extremely helpful and we plan to roll out more units over the next 12 months.”

Research conducted by WWF earlier this year revealed how the UK is set to throwaway a third more takeaway drinks cups by 2030 and that UK consumers are the second biggest users per person of single-use drinks cups, straws, food containers, crisp packets and wet wipes.

Steve Parker, Area Manager at Egbert Taylor, adds:

“Many of us have seen and understand the negative impact that plastic waste has on the environment. These new bins, which have been designed to be as vibrant as the beach areas themselves, certainly engage users and we are delighted to be able to make a contribution towards helping local authorities improve their sustainability credentials.”