LONDON, 2014-4-24 — /EPR Retail News/ — Marks & Spencer (M&S) has today launched the Beach Clean Frisbee, a fun toy made from recycled plastic, including plastic collected by M&S customers and employees at last year’s Big Beach Clean-Up volunteer event.
The product has regenerated litter such as plastic cups, fishing tackle and bottle tops into a brand new, shop ready product for customers to enjoy.
It launches in time for this year’s Big Beach Clean-Up (which kicks off today and runs until the 30th April) and is on sale now at M&S.com and in six costal M&S stores – Belfast (Abbey Centre), Bexhill, Lytham St Annes, Silverlink Retail Park, Weston Super Mare and Edinburgh Kinnaird.
It costs £2.50, with 50p from each sale going directly to the Marine Conservation Society (MCS).
Mike Barry, Director of Plan A (M&S’ eco and ethical programme) at M&S, said: “We’ve managed to transform waste, taking it off beaches where it threatens marine life, into a brand new product that is fun for our customers and raises money for MCS’ on-going work to protect our seas. That’s Plan A in action, a volunteer event that engages customers, saves precious raw materials and gives back to charity – all with a business case behind it.”
Last April thousands of M&S customers and employees helped clean over 300km of coastline. To trial whether or not M&S could collect and make a product from the beach litter, the plastic from six of the beaches was segregated, cleaned and reprocessed into production ready recycled plastic.
Two UK firms supported the project. Axion Polymers, a recycling specialist based in Salford, transformed the litter into product grade recycled plastic and Make a Material Difference, based in Leicester, created and manufactured the product.
This year’s M&S Big Beach Clean-up will clean 140 UK beaches and canals from 24th to 30th April. The target is to clear more than last year’s massive haul of 30 tonnes of litter.
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Notes to editors
At least 10 per cent of the plastic used to make each Frisbee was collected as part of last year’s Big Beach Clean-up.
Plan A is Marks & Spencer’s eco and ethical programme that aims to make M&S the world’s most sustainable major retailer by 2015. Launched in 2007 and extended in March 2010, it takes a holistic approach to sustainability focusing on involving customers, involving all areas of the business and tackling issues such as climate change, waste, raw materials, health and being a fair partner.
For further information, images and samples:
Daniel Himsworth
Marks & Spencer Press Office 0208 718 1618
daniel.himsworth@marks-and-spencer.com
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