A clean-up operation is underway around the Welsh coast to collect thousands of printer cartridges which have been washing up on beaches.
The Hewlett Packard (HP) printer ink cartridges are washing up on shores around Britain and Europe after being lost at sea more than a year ago. Now HP have made funds available through the Marine Conservation society to help with beach clean-ups.
As well as reportedly been found along the UK’s south and west coasts, the Irish Republic, France, Portugal, the Azores, and the Hebrides, they have also been spotted at Porthlysgi, near Abereiddy and Poppit Sands in Ceredigion as well as at Fresh Water West in Pembrokeshire.
Conservationists have urged people to collect them if they see them and warned that any plastic in the sea presents a hazard for wildlife.
Beach clean-ups
Those organising clean-up operations said there is a distinct possibility that there are some on other Welsh beaches.
“Hewlett Packard, together with the Marine Conservation Society are offering support to non-profit organisations who are undertaking beach clean ups in areas where cartridges have seen found,” said Frances Chivers in Fishguard.
“The environmental and planting groups of the Fishguard and Goodwick Community Forum were on Lower Town beach last weekend and although they didn’t find any cartridges perhaps others residents have.”
Beachcomber Tracey Williams, who lives in Newquay, first found the printer cartridges last summer and has been recording their whereabouts ever since.
Tracey, who has been combing the beaches of Cornwall since scores of containers of Lego fell off the Tokio Express in February 1997 set up a Facebook page, Lego Lost At Sea to map where the items have been washed up and collected.
“I started finding the cartridges on Perranporth Beach, and thought it was a bit odd, but I’m in touch with several beachcombing groups elsewhere and they started reporting them too,” she said.
Emerging patterns
She then began tracking reports of their discovery using her Facebook page.
“Patterns started emerging. We’ve only been recording them for the last month or so, but now that word has spread we’re getting daily reports - people finding eight or 10 at a time.
“What has been mapped so far is just what we know about. There must be many more out there. We had a report this week of 100 being found on another island in the Azores.
“I would imagine there are thousands washing up or something like that. I and other beachcombers think what has been reported so far is just the tip of the iceberg.”
'Not their fault'
Gill Bell, of the Marine Conservation Society, said a fund will support non-profit organisations, individuals and local authorities who are undertaking, beach litter clean ups on UK beaches in areas where HP cartridges have been found.
She says studies have shown that up to 52% of sea turtles may have ingested various debris, and 95% of northern fulmar birds in the North Sea had plastic in their stomachs.
“We advocate that containers on ships are properly fastened and secured, and hope there’s a fast response from companies when containers are lost at sea.
“It’s not their direct fault, but it is important that companies look at cleaning it up. As soon as MCS were aware of this issue, HP set the fund, administered by MCS, to ensure the cartridges were removed quickly. However the fund closes on March 4 so please submit your request ASAP.”
HP has also set up a cartridge collection and recycling service for safe disposal of any cartridges found.
see-http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/thousands-printer-ink-cartridges-washing-10979160
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