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Penmaenmawr Sustainable Information Project

‘Shoal’ is a sculpture designed to raise awareness around the issues associated with plastic pollution.

SHOAL Sculpture Launch

Plastic Free Awareness

Saturday 9 April at 2pm at Penmaenmawr Promenade

The launch of 'Shoal', a sculpture created by Mike Badger that raises awareness of the problem of plastic in our seas and oceans.

Commissioned by Penmaenmawr Town Council, Plastic Free Penmaenmawr and Conwy County Borough Council. The sculpture consists of six metal rods that are attached to the wooden sea defence (groyns) at the high tide mark of the Promenade. Each rod holds two fish made from recycled plastic that swivel and move with the wind. (Swapping water currents for air currents) at 4.5m in height and 4m width, the coloured fish move in unison to create a kinetic, dynamic spectacle for the general public to enjoy as they amble along the historic Promenade.

SHOAL launch

SHOAL Sculpture Launch

SHOAL cakes

Find out more

What does the sculpture represent?

‘Shoal’ was built to capture people’s attention, by presenting marine life in a dynamic way (the shoal move in unison with the wind) against the backdrop of the ocean. The sculpture was commissioned by Penmaenmawr Town Council in association with Plastic Free Penmaenmawr. Created by local artist Mike Badger, the fish are made from recycled plastic sourced from within Wales and the metal work has been fabricated and manufactured by a local business (Druid Workshop).

What is the problem?

Every year 12 million tonnes of plastic finds its way into the sea. Plastic has been found in the deepest parts of the ocean, as far away as the Antarctic and across UK beaches. This plastic pollution is choking the ocean. Birds, whales and turtles are killed when they mistake plastics for food or when they get tangled in packaging and ghost fishing gear. Plastic pollution can carry toxic chemicals, pathogens and invasive species to isolated and pristine marine habitats, damaging some of the most vulnerable wildlife.

Climate Change

Plastic pollution is also linked to the climate crisis. 90% of plastics are produced from oil and gas and the production of one tonne of plastic generates up to 2.5 tonnes of carbon dioxide.

What is the cause?

The root cause of plastic pollution is the systemic over-production and over-consumption of non-essential single-use, throw away and polluting plastics. The plastic pollution crisis is made worse by our ineffective recycling & waste systems, which cannot process the staggering volume of plastic entering the market every year.

I thought recycling was a good thing?

We can’t just recycle our way out of the problem, at the minute only 2% of plastics are effectively recycled and many countries ship off their waste to developing countries who do not have the infrastructure to deal with amount of waste imported. Recycling reduces both waste and carbon emissions, compared to incineration and landfill but we must first focus on reduction, reuse and refill of products before recycling.

What can you do to help?

You can start by reducing your own plastic footprint.

Here are some ideas:

  1. Carry a reusable bottle
  2. Say no to disposable plastic cutlery
  3. Get a reusable coffee cup
  4. Avoid excessive food packaging (refill shops are great)
  5. Get your milk delivered (or refill)
  6. Carry a shopping bag & shop locally
  7. Switch to plastic free bathroom products
  8. Use plastic free wet wipes

Join the conversation!

You can also join some initiatives which are trying to address the plastic pollution crisis locally:

  1. Plastic Free Penmaenmawr
  2. Pals of Pen Prom (do a regular beach clean)
  3. Surfers Against Sewage
  4. Greenpeace
  5. WWF

Cerflun yw ‘Shoal’, a gynlluniwyd i godi ymwybyddiaeth ynglŷn â'r materion sy’n gysylltiedig â llygredd plastig.

Beth mae’r cerflun yn ei gynrychioli?
Adeiladwyd cerflun ‘Shoal’ er mwyn tynnu sylw pobl, drwy gyflwyno bywyd morol mewn modd deinamig (mae’r haig yn symud yn un gyda’r gwynt) gyda'r môr fel cefndir. Comisiynwyd y cerflun gan Gyngor Tref Penmaenmawr ar y cyd â Penmaenmawr Di-blastig. Cafodd ei greu gan Mike Badger sy’n artist lleol, mae’r pysgod wedi eu gwneud o blastig wedi’i ailgylchu yng Nghymru, ac mae’r gwaith metel wedi'i wneud a'i gynhyrchu gan fusnes lleol (Druid Workshop).

Beth yw’r broblem?
Pob blwyddyn mae 12 miliwn tunnell o blastig yn diweddu yn y môr. Mae plastig wedi ei ddarganfod yn rhannau dyfnaf y môr, mor bell i ffwrdd â'r Antarctig ac ar draws draethau’r DU. Mae llygredd plastig yn tagu’r môr. Caiff adar, morfilod a chrwbanod y môr eu lladd pan fyddant yn camgymryd plastig fel bwyd neu pan fyddant yn mynd ynghlwm mewn deunydd pacio neu offer pysgota. Gall llygredd plastig gario cemegion gwenwynig, pathogenau a rhywogaethau ymledol i gynefinoedd morol ynysig a chyntefig, gan niweidio rhai o’r bywyd gwyllt sydd mwyaf agored i niwed.

Newid Hinsawdd
Mae llygredd plastig hefyd yn gysylltiedig â'r argyfwng hinsawdd. Caiff 90% o blastigion eu creu o olew a nwy, ac mae creu un tunnell o blastig yn cynhyrchu hyd at 2.5 tunnell o garbon deuocsid.

Beth sydd yn achosi hyn?
Gwraidd llygredd plastig yw gorgynhyrchu systematig a’r gorddefnydd o blastigion llygredig defnydd untro, tafladwy nad ydynt yn hanfodol. Gwneir yr argyfwng llygredd plastig yn waeth gan ein systemau ailgylchu a gwastraff aneffeithiol, nad ydynt yn gallu prosesu’r swm syfrdanol o blastig sy'n dod i mewn i’r farchnad bob blwyddyn.

Roeddwn i’n meddwl bod ailgylchu yn beth da?
Ni allwn ailgylchu ein ffordd allan o’r broblem, ar hyn o bryd dim ond 2% o blastig sy’n cael ei ailgylchu mewn modd effeithiol, ac mae nifer o wledydd yn allforio eu gwastraff i wledydd sy’n datblygu nad oes ganddynt yr isadeiledd i ymdopi â’r swm o wastraff a gaiff ei fewnforio. Mae ailgylchu yn lleihau gwastraff ac allyriadau carbon, o’i gymharu â llosgi a thirlenwi, ond i ddechrau mae’n rhaid i ni ganolbwyntio ar leihau, ailddefnyddio ac ail-lenwi cynnyrch cyn ailgylchu.

Beth allwch chi ei wneud i helpu?
Gallwch ddechrau drwy leihau eich ôl troed plastig eich hun.

Dyma rai syniadau:

  1. Defnyddio potel y mae modd ei hailddefnyddio
  2. Dweud na i gyllyll a ffyrc tafladwy
  3. Prynu cwpan goffi y mae modd ei hailddefnyddio
  4. Osgoi gormodedd o ddeunydd pacio bwyd (mae siopau ail-lenwi yn wych)
  5. Trefnu i gael llefrith i’ch drws (neu ail-lenwi)
  6. Cario bag siopa a siopa yn lleol.
  7. Newid i ddefnyddio cynnyrch ymolchi di-blastig
  8. Defnyddio weips di-blastig

Ymunwch â’r sgwrs!

Gallwch ymuno â mentrau sy’n ceisio mynd i’r afael â’r argyfwng llygredd plastig yn lleol:

  1. Penmaenmawr Di-blastig
  2. Pals of Pen Prom (yn cynnal sesiwn glanhau’r traeth yn rheolaidd)
  3. Surfers Against Sewage
  4. Greenpeace
  5. WWF

Cerflun yw ‘Shoal’ a gomisiynwyd gan Gyngor Tref Penmaenmawr gyda chefnogaeth gan Gyngor Bwrdeistref Sirol Conwy, Llyfrgell Gymunedol Penmaenmawr, a Penmaenmawr Di-blastig.

Penmaenmawr Town Council Plastic Free Penmaenmawr Pen Eye

‘Shoal’ is a sculpture commissioned by Penmaenmawr Town Council with the support of Conwy County Borough Council,
Penmaenmawr Community Library and Plastic Free Penmaenmawr.