With support from the Lottery's Climate Action Fund in Wales, 2025 sees us developing two circular economy exemplars, north and south. We are establishing a new take on the Netherlands 'Precious Plastic Model, one that unlocks the potential of single polymers. Last year, we were sorting out sites and discussing new machine design with manufacturers.
Along with our partners, Crest Cooperative and Welcome to our Woods, we are now moving into the operational phase, with a dedicated team now in place.
Recycling to DIRECTLY benefit the people of Wales!
What is the Polymer Cymru vision, what will it look like and what could this mean in the long term for your community? Read on to find out!
The initial Precious Plastic model, originating in the Netherlands, is one that we formed a friendship with right at its inception nearly ten years ago. There are over 300 groups globally who have copied that 'off-the-shelf' model.
Utilising our 20 year expertise in Circular Community Methodology, we're now attempting to take plastic recycling to the next level. Our pilot dovetails into a full scale collection system whereby all of the different polymers (1-7) will be kept separate and recycled separately.
This will mean a number of things for the sustainability of plastic recycling. Just like the 'off-the-shelf' Precious Plastic model, once our pilot is concluded at the end of 2025, we will be looking for community partners in every county of Wales to be privy to the new system, its benefits and all of the partnerships we'll have formed.
What remains the same as the standard 'Precious Plastic' model, is that our workshops are kitted out with people-friendly machines, plus support, so that anyone can come in and use them to make recycled plastic goods.
People making a one off product in one of our arranged workshops will get to keep what they make. To ensure that the workshop is fully sustainable, we're developing a wide product range that will be available for sale.
The Plasticaster: to send rock-waves across Wales!
Much of the plastic we put out for recycling in Wales ends up getting incinerated. This certainly isn't what the public in Wales thinks is going to happen; we have to change this. When a box of different polymers (there are 7) leaves our doorstep for reprocessing, industry by and large take the easy way out and burn it.
A scrambled product of polymer types, under heat and pressure, makes the point that plastic can be used again but beyond that presents a problem if we want a truly circular economy. Scrambled polymer products can only be undone with the aid of machines costing millions, so the more scrambled products we put out into society, we're increasing the stockpile of never to be used again plastic. The initial model is therefore essentially a one-off, single-reuse, stab at sorting out the global plastic problem.
Our plan is to pilot a collection and reprocessing system, made in Wales, whereby the 7 polymers are kept separate; therein lies the key to true circularity.
Welsh workplaces are going to be more colourful places
So where are we establishing the first two in Wales? For this, we have teamed up with two partners who have great social reach and exemplary delivery for people in their communities over the years:
Crest Cooperative is now hosting our North Wales exemplar centre in Llandudno Junction covering Conwy
and
Welcome to our Woods is hosting the South Wales exemplar in Treherbert covering the Rhondda.
For those of you who know about Circular Communities Cymru CIC's work in quadrupling the number of Community Fridges across Wales or in developing the Celyn Community Currency for Wales, you will know that we've been banging the Precious Plastic drum for a long time. To date, all we lacked was the cash to invest; we're a small Community Interest Company aiming to do big things. Now a new journey has begun for us, our partners and for Wales, and potentially, it's a revolution for recycling if done correctly and at scale.
Read on below for the Precious Plastic Cymru 'Big Picture'!!:
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Precious Plastic Cymru - A Welsh Revolution in Recycling!
Wales is great at putting resources our for recycling collection. But does our plastic get separated into single polymers and reused? Well, it's a mixed bag sadly; literally a mixed bag! Did you know there are seven types of plastic in circulation through our houses each week. Separately, we can make them into something new, mixed: no can do.
Because our plastics aren't separated properly a great deal of our plastic in Wales is still burnt and destroyed, obliterated forever; even though we put it out for collection!! A small portion is recycled here in Wales, and long term, these initiatives are aiming for polymer separation to become the norm. To get there, we need to raise our awareness as a nation and witness the real tangible benefits within our workshops: enter Polymer Cymru.
Over the long term, as we build more community facilities, Wales can become a leader in being the first polymer literate nation. Wales, with the right steps, will be able to turn the 'Plastic Problem' into a polymer solution, and one that benefits us all.
Treating Plastic as a treasure in our communities, and reducing littering, Precious Plastic Cymru is turning the plastic problem into a solution!!
What will the workshops look like?
The workshops, housed in modified shipping containers, branded, lined and fully safety-compliant, will allow people of all ages to clean, flake, design and make new plastic products using moulds and 3D printers.
These products can include iPhone covers, kitchenware, tools, containers, clocks, climbing wall holds and sports equipment. However, there are thousands of useful items waiting to be made and the list is constantly being developed.
General inquiries or inquiries from the press or editors etc:
