2016 Redd Up this Weekend
Published: 19 April 2016
Scottish Natural Heritage Redd UpZoomOriginally launched in 1988, Da Voar Redd Up quickly became the largest community based voluntary clear up throughout the UK, with over 20% of Shetland’s population regularly volunteering for the event. Last year 4,572 participants volunteered more than 17,602 man hours to collect over 58 tonnes of bruck. Since 1988 over 1700 tonnes has been cleaned from Shetland’s roadside verges, beaches and coastline.
Colin Bragg, Environmental Improvement Project Officer with Shetland Amenity Trust, commented:
“The success of Da Voar Redd Up relies on the incredible hard work and commitment of thousands of volunteers, and judging by the number of groups registered for this weekend’s Redd Up this year will be no different. Retaining such collective enthusiasm for an event in its 29th year is nothing short of phenomenal, and it is something that Shetlanders should be incredibly proud of. We are really looking forward to seeing every generation of the Shetland community dedicating their time this weekend to preserve and improve their environment. And we hope everyone taking part enjoys the experience.”
This year The Amenity Trust has teamed up with two new event sponsors, Augean North Sea Services and World Animal Protection, which will enhance the Redd Up’s already excellent environmental credentials and raise awareness of animal protection issues caused by waste. The Trust are also delighted that BP Sullom Voe has continued their long-term support for the event.
Augean North Sea Services (ANSS) serve the North Sea oil and gas industry by providing waste management solutions. Based at Greenhead, Lerwick, Augean has recently invested in new recycling machinery in Shetland to cover new waste streams, including plastic. Augean will be recycling plastic, ropes and netting collected during this year’s Redd Up.
World Animal Protection works with governments, industry and members of the public to implement sustainable solutions for a future free from ghost fishing litter. Ghost fishing gear is everything that is lost or discarded as part of the fishing industry and it is one of the biggest threats to animals in our oceans, as well as causing significant damage to fishing vessels and equipment. A staggering 640,000 tonnes of discarded fishing gear is left in our oceans each year, entangling around 136,000 seals and whales globally.
So far they have been focussing in Cornwall and the west coast of Scotland to identify UK hotspots for fishing litter to pilot solution projects to replicate globally. They are now looking to Shetland and Orkney to see if these are litter hotspots too. Redd Up groups have been asked to help World Animal Protection evidence the problem by uploading their ghost gear sightings from this year’s Redd Up to: www.worldanimalprotection.org/seachange
The Trust would like to thank organisations who have supported the 2016 Voar Redd Up, including Shetland Charitable Trust, Shetland Islands Council, Augean North Sea Services, World Animal Protection, BP Sullom Voe and GTS (for their generous discount on gloves for Redd Up volunteers).
The Trust would also like to ask drivers to take extra caution this weekend as there will be groups of volunteers working on roadsides and verges collecting bruck.
