Each year, about 8 million tons of plastic trash ends up in the world’s oceans. Discarded nets and other fishing gear make up about 10 percent of that waste. A company called Bureo is working to reduce this type of pollution by recycling plastic nets into a surprising product—skateboards.
Fishers often abandon old or damaged nets at sea, where they can trap and kill marine wildlife. So Bureo set up collection bins along the coast in Chile, where the company is based. Fishers can place used nets in these bins instead of tossing them into the water.
The nets are collected, and workers wash and shred them. Next, a machine melts the torn pieces and cuts them into small pellets. Reheating the pellets softens the plastic so it can be injected into molds shaped like a skateboard deck. Add some wheels, and what once was trash becomes a cool new ride.