Swords into ploughshares, fishing nets into....carpet tiles
By Lewis Smith
June 08 2012 Lewis Smith
These carpet tiles are made from recycled yarn but fishing nets could be next
A pilot project has been launched to turn thousands of miles of discarded fishing nets into carpet tiles.
The initiative is designed to remove tonnes of fishing nets dumped on beached in the Philippines and if successful could be extended to many other parts of the world. Nets discarded on beaches remain a hazard to wildlife, especially if washed into the sea where as “ghost nets” they can snare fish and other creatures for years until they disintegrate.
The Zoological Society of London (ZSL) and the carpet company Interface are now working together in a six-month trial to create a carpet tile from nets collected from beaches on the Danajon Bank, a double barrier reef in the Philippines.
So many nets are discarded in the Danajon Bank area every year that if laid out end to end there would be enough to circle the world almost one and a half times, said a ZSL spokeswoman.
Dr Nick Hill, of ZSL, said: “Danajon Bank is a relatively small area, but this is a global problem. We are taking an innovative approach which, if successful, can be replicated in other poor rural areas. With Interface’s forward thinking, we are showing that conservation and industry can work together to provide solutions that engage local communities.”
His colleage, Dr Heather Koldewey, added: “The Philippines is the global centre of marine biodiversity yet extreme fishing pressure has resulted in areas of devastation.
“The Net-Works project hopes to create new opportunities for poor fishing communities by recycling nets to carpet tiles, removing damaging nets from the environment and improving the situation for both people and wildlife.”
Among Interface’s previous products is the Biosfera I tile which is made from recycled yarn. The company has won several awards for its record on sustainability.
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