Recycling facilities and end of single-use plastic items sold on Orkney Ferries services
The Issue
This is a letter to the Orkney Islands Council to petition the urgent need for recycling facilities onboard all of their Orkney Ferries routes. This letter also addresses concerns from members of the public about the sale of single-use plastic items on board the ferries. Disposing of recyclable items in landfill contributes to global warming and can cause the leaching of toxins into soil and waterways; it is also a waste of finite resources which could have an extended lifespan through recycling. Similarly, single-use plastic will erode into microplastics which are known to have negative impacts on wildlife, natural habitats, and even human health.
The solution to this issue is for Orkney Ferries, operated by Orkney Islands Council, to provide recycling facilities on their 9 inter-island ferries as well as to have large skips for recyclables collected on route at strategic docking points, for example, Kirkwall pier. Some outer island communities have already worked hard to develop their own waste management solutions, and, if required for the provision of ferry recycling facilities, some of these islands, such as Stronsay, may be able to accommodate additional skips or assist with the recycling process. We also ask Orkney Ferries to phase out the sale of single-use plastic items, for example, bottled water, plastic-wrapped food items, and plastic cup lids, instead of providing a water dispenser for refilling water bottles and finding other solutions to replace their need for single-use plastics.
By correctly disposing of recyclable waste products and ending the consumption of single-use plastics on board, Orkney Ferries and Orkney Islands Council can greatly reduce the quantity of their waste destined for landfill, and therefore these actions would have a positive impact on tackling climate change: an issue of utmost importance for the local island community. Please sign the petition if you agree with the arguments for action voiced in this letter to Orkney Islands Council.
This petition was written by Leah Shearer, Community Waste Management Officer, Stronsay Waste Matters.
The Issue
This is a letter to the Orkney Islands Council to petition the urgent need for recycling facilities onboard all of their Orkney Ferries routes. This letter also addresses concerns from members of the public about the sale of single-use plastic items on board the ferries. Disposing of recyclable items in landfill contributes to global warming and can cause the leaching of toxins into soil and waterways; it is also a waste of finite resources which could have an extended lifespan through recycling. Similarly, single-use plastic will erode into microplastics which are known to have negative impacts on wildlife, natural habitats, and even human health.
The solution to this issue is for Orkney Ferries, operated by Orkney Islands Council, to provide recycling facilities on their 9 inter-island ferries as well as to have large skips for recyclables collected on route at strategic docking points, for example, Kirkwall pier. Some outer island communities have already worked hard to develop their own waste management solutions, and, if required for the provision of ferry recycling facilities, some of these islands, such as Stronsay, may be able to accommodate additional skips or assist with the recycling process. We also ask Orkney Ferries to phase out the sale of single-use plastic items, for example, bottled water, plastic-wrapped food items, and plastic cup lids, instead of providing a water dispenser for refilling water bottles and finding other solutions to replace their need for single-use plastics.
By correctly disposing of recyclable waste products and ending the consumption of single-use plastics on board, Orkney Ferries and Orkney Islands Council can greatly reduce the quantity of their waste destined for landfill, and therefore these actions would have a positive impact on tackling climate change: an issue of utmost importance for the local island community. Please sign the petition if you agree with the arguments for action voiced in this letter to Orkney Islands Council.
This petition was written by Leah Shearer, Community Waste Management Officer, Stronsay Waste Matters.
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Petition created on 23 March 2022