National Yacht Club is Ireland’s first Club with a Sea Bin – thanks to Flossie Donnelly
Twelve-year-old environmental campaigner Flossie Donnelly has presented the National Yacht Club with one of her Sea Bin devises to help clean up the environs of the Club – and especially catch waste plastics which come in our direction when the Northerly winds blow.
The Sandycove campaigner and blogger already has a Sea Bin in operation in the main Dun Laoghaire harbour area and our one will be the second in the country.
Flossie presented Sea Bin to Vice Commodore Martin McCarthy who accepted on behalf of the club and with the support of Annalise Murphy – who is dedicated to the “Turn the Tide on Plastic” campaign, and whose boat she campaigned in the recent Volvo Ocean Race.
Sea bins are unique devices designed to collect litter and debris from open waters. Developed in Australia by Andrew Turton and Pete Ceglinski, the Sea Bin sits just below the water’s surface and sucks in floating rubbish. They can collect up to two tonnes of waste a year, including 83,000 plastic bags or 20,000 plastic bottles.
Flossie organises beach clean-ups and decided the installation of a Sea Bin was the next logical step.
Over the last year, Flossie has campaigned and fundraised to have the first Sea Bin installed in Dun Laoghaire. “The first bin cost €4,000 plus taxes; I had a table quiz, a Go Fund Me account, and finally I had a disco.” The company that supplied the bin was so impressed by Flossie’s fundraising efforts that they decided to send her a second bin for free.
Also supporting the Sea Bin project is chef and diver Cormac Healy and Sailing Manager Olivier Prouvier, who will have the Sea Bin installed off the pontoons in the coming weeks.
Vice Commodore Martin McCarthy said: “The Club is delighted that Flossie chose the National YC as the best home for her Sea Bin. It fits in so well with Annalise’s “Turn the Tide on Plastic” campaign – which has greatly raised awareness of the problem of plastics in our oceans, globally. It will be highly visible to the million + pier walkers who stroll the East Pier each year. We want to thank the Harbour management for their technical support with this exciting program.”
Best Regards
Martin McCarthy
Vice Commodore
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