Beach cleanup at Fukiagehama in Kagoshima – Turning plastic waste into sea turtle models

PUBLISHED Aug 30, 2021

RePLAMO - Transformed from plastic waste

On September 11, Green Bird, a non-profit organization that engages in cleanup activities throughout Japan, will hold a beach cleanup event at Fukiagehama Beach in Kagoshima.

The NPO is working to solve the plastic waste problem. On August 19, they released RePLAMO (1,650 yen), toy models of a sea turtle made from recycled plastic waste. To coincide with the launch, the NPO invites people to participate in an event where they can experience a beach cleanup and receive a sea turtle model. The model will be made from the plastic waste picked up at the event and delivered to the participant a few weeks later. Fukiagehama will be the first in the series of events.

Since sea turtles have a “50 percent chance of mistaking plastics in the ocean for food and eating them,” they chose a model in the shape of a turtle to highlight this reality. After being washed and dried in the sun by the NPO’s staff, the collected plastic waste will be sent to a factory in Kanagawa, where it will be pulverized, molded, and processed. After processing, the excess plastic waste will be packed into bottles and delivered together with the model. The color of the turtle depends on the plastic waste collected that day. “If there is a lot of greenish plastic, the turtle will be green,” said Fukuda Keisuke, the representative of the NPO.

The event will be open to 10 pairs of parents and children on a first-come, first-served basis. Kagoshima’s local hero, Jankenman, will also make an appearance on the day. Fukuda said: “Fukiagehama is a beach where the Green Bird Kagoshima team works every day, but there is still a lot of litter. We want the children to see the condition with their own eyes and experience how the plastics they pick up turn into models, which they will receive four weeks later.”

The first event is scheduled to be held at Fukiagehama, followed by six other beaches. In September, the event will take place at Suma Beach in Hyogo (September 18), Nishikinohama in Osaka (September 20), and 21-Seikinomori in Okinawa (September 26), and in October at Fukuhama in Fukuoka (September 2), Enoshima in Kanagawa (September 9), and Miura Beach in Kanagawa (October 10).

The event will run from 2:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.
The fee is 3,300 yen and includes a model of a sea turtle, photos of parents and children participating in the beach cleanup activity, bottled microplastics, and a booklet on marine environmental issues.

 

  • RePLAMO – Before assembly

  • Microplastics in a bottle

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