Abandoned, Lost and Discarded Fishing Gear (ALDFG) is a persistent threat to our marine ecosystems, contributing to marine pollution and having a detrimental impact on marine life. Due to a lack of proper waste management systems, most abandoned gear ends up in our ocean as ghost fishing gear, in landfills or polluting our beaches. The ALDFG found in Sri Lanka, majorly consists of Nylon 6, a material which can be recycled back to yarn which can then be used in textiles and household goods, etc

We are pleased to be able to support SPM, a social enterprise that works towards creating a sustainable future through the use of technology, who will be spearheading the ‘Sustainable Solutions for Minimising the Waste of Abandoned, Lost, or Otherwise Discarded Fishing Gear’ project. 

Through their project, SPM brings forward a sustainable solution to this problem, involving recycling and upcycling this discarded gear and hopes to understand ways in which this gear can be transformed from a liability into a valuable resource. The project will be conducted in two main phases, with phase one being research into the materials found in discarded gear, which will then be used to develop a prototype for an upcycling machine. 

The objectives of the project are as follows:

1. Identifying suitable substances as fillers to mix with  ALDFG in producing upcycled or recycled products.
2. Conducting material testing to determine the most appropriate filler materials. 
3. Designing and proposing a recycling or upcycling machine based on test results.
4. Demonstrating the feasibility and effectiveness of the proposed approach in reducing ALDFG waste.
5. Promoting effective and sustainable recycled products from ALDFG by combining it with suitable fillers.

While the idealistic solution to the problem of ALDFG would be better waste management and tracking to ensure that this gear does not end up in our oceans and on our beaches, this project posits an answer to the question of what we can do to minimise and repurpose this waste.