Fishing Line and Lollipop Bins to the rescue
You may already be familiar with the iconic fishing line bins scattered along our coastlines. For years, these simple structures have been incredibly functional in collecting discarded fishing line, keeping our beaches safer for both marine life and beachgoers.
Now, a new innovation is following suit: Lollipop Stick Bins.
While they might sound small, these structures tackle a massive problem. Recent research has identified discarded plastic lollipop sticks as a significant contributor to litter leakage. You can find them on sidewalks, streets, and beaches—but they are particularly prevalent within primary school environments.
Turning Raw Materials into Immediate Action
We are incredibly grateful to Sustainable Seas Trust for the initiative and to Marley Pipe Systems for a generous donation of 80 units each of the various components required to construct these vital pipe bin structures.
The team didn’t waste any time. The first six structures were assembled and deployed across three schools in Motherwell, Gqeberha.
These schools are leading the charge against schoolyard litter, with official program launches rolling out successfully over the last few weeks:
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Elufefeni Primary School – Launched 21 May
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Enkwenkwezini Primary School – Launched 22 May
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Elundini Primary School – Launched 28 May
Empowerment Beyond the Beach
This initiative aligns perfectly with the core mission of the Sustainable Seas Trust (SST). SST puts Africa’s people at the center of everything they do. Their work goes far beyond just cleaning up Africa’s seas for the future; it is about building communities up from within.
By partnering to empower people with the skills, knowledge, and resources they need, SST helps communities enable and embrace Africa’s blue economy. This is achieved through a powerful, multi-pronged approach focused on:
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Research, Development, and Monitoring
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Education and Capacity Building
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Community Upliftment
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Strategic Stakeholder Engagement
Looking Ahead
We extend our deepest gratitude to SST and Marley Pipe Systems for their invaluable support and generosity. With this successful launch under their belts, we look forward to the expansion of both the lollipop stick bins and the time-tested fishing line bin project.
Together, we are keeping plastic out of the environment, one small stick at a time.
