Ian Falconer kept thinking about the heaps of discarded plastic fishing nets he saw at Newlyn harbour near his home in Cornwall. \u201cI thought \u2018it\u2019s such a waste\u2019,\u201d he says. \u201cThere has to be a better solution than it all going into landfill.\u201d<\/p>\n
Falconer, 52, who studied environmental and mining geology at university, came up with a plan: shredding and cleaning the worn out nets, melting the plastic down and converting it into filament to be used in 3D printing. He then built a \u201cmicro-factory\u201d so that the filament could be made into useful stuff.<\/p>\n
\u201cEvery year, up to 1m tonnes of fishing nets are discarded,\u201d he says. \u201cMost of that ends up in landfill or is burned, or worse still finds its way back into the oceans. This showed there was another way for some of that material.\u201d<\/p>\n
The first big challenge he encountered when he started in 2016, was getting hold of the nets. But he badgered the Newlyn harbour master into giving him a few to test his theory in his kitchen.<\/p>\n
From old nets to new glasses \u2013 one of the many products made from the waste plastic. Photograph: OrCA<\/p>\n
Since its launch the following year, Falconer\u2019s company OrCA (previously Fishy Filaments) has raised more than \u00a31m from small investors in over 40 countries. The investment funded the development of patented new machinery that can convert more than 20 kilos of nylon fishing nets an hour. He claims the recycling process has less than 3% of the carbon impact of producing new nylon.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen they get to us, this particular type of fishing nets have typically been used by Cornish fishers for around six months,\u201d he says. \u201cThey are routinely swapped out because their surfaces become cloudy due to wear and the build up of an algal biofilm. With time and repeated use, eventually the fish can sense them in the water and avoid them.<\/p>\n
\u201cSkippers can see their catches fall as their nets age and it makes sense to replace them.\u201d<\/p>\n
Falconer sorts through bags of nets at his Newlyn headquarters. Photograph: OrCA<\/p>\n
The nets that go into the shredder come out as small blue-green beads that Falconer sells to 3D printing companies, which convert them into strings of filament used in 3D printing. They also get sold around the world to replace new plastic in more conventional products that are made using injection moulding.<\/p>\n
Falconer\u2019s shipping container office is full of items made from the raw material: sunglasses, light shades, bottle openers, razor blade handles. It can be used for just about anything. The items he is most proud of are those made from his nylon mixed with waste carbon fibre \u2013 mostly from offcuts of car and aeroplane manufacturing. This stronger and more expensive product is used to make parts for racing bikes and super-light sunglasses, and industrial components such as electronic enclosures.<\/p>\n
Small blue-green beads are produced by shredding old nets. These are then converted into strings of filament used in 3D printing. Photograph: OrCA<\/p>\n
The carbon and nylon mix sells for up to \u00a335,000 a tonne \u2013 more than the \u00a312,000 a tonne pure nylon beads. \u201cOur process turns a liability of about \u00a3500 a tonne to pay to get someone to take the nets away, not to mention the environmental cost of that, into something of real value,\u201d Falconer says. \u201cNow, when I pass the piles of fishing nets on the harbourside, I see piles of money.\u201d<\/p>\n
Abandoned, lost or discarded fishing gear poses one of the most serious threats to marine life, says Rachel Coppock, marine ecologist at the Plymouth Marine Laboratory, adding that innovative ideas to reduce this are welcome.<\/p>\n
\u201cRecycling schemes are increasingly seen as viable and beneficial in demonstrating how old gear can be transformed into new products, reducing landfill waste and supporting a circular economy,\u201d she says. \u201cThough challenges remain in scaling these efforts due to material complexity and infrastructure gaps.\u201d<\/p>\n
Falconer\u2019s roster of clients, which includes Philips lighting, L\u2019Or\u00e9al, Ford and Mercedes-Benz, is increasing as more companies see OrCA\u2019s potential to help them reduce their carbon footprint by increasing the proportion of their products made from recycled materials.<\/p>\n
Waste fishing nets are a problem in Cornwall, but are a much bigger problem in countries without established waste systemsIan Falconer<\/p>\n