Marine waste turned into beach cleaning equipment

A charity dedicated to clearing the planet of rubbish two minutes at a time has created a beach cleaning station made out of marine litter.

The 2 Minute Foundation - which started the two minutes beach cleaning trend - has found a way to use beach waste as "a resource", said CEO Martin Dorey.

Marine litter "can be used for good instead of going to landfill or continuing to choke our oceans".

The Cornwall-based charity has used low grade and non-recyclable waste.

The litter, which includes cotton bud sticks, rope and broken plastic bottles, is shipped, shredded and pressed.

It is then made into sheets, which fit together to make the litter picking station.

Mr Dorey said: "It is truly circular and fulfils a dream to make useful things out of stuff that's otherwise worth nothing."

The charity's founder said it had been a dream since he organised his first beach clean in 2007.

Since the Covid-19 pandemic, people have been reluctant to pick up litter as they are worried about contamination and there is more PPE rubbish on the beaches, the charity said.

However, the 2 Minute Foundation said litter picking, when it is safe to do so, is "beneficial for the planet" and "has positive effects on mental wellbeing".

The charity already has 900 cleaning stations - not made from marine litter - around the UK and Ireland.

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