Cornwall LivingIssue #123
A passion for sustainability
Growing up in Newquay and witnessing the impact of discarded plastic proved to be a galvanising force for good for Oltco directors Johnny Pearce and Tom Stringer.
With summer peeking through spring’s veil our sights turn seaward as we prepare to head to the beach along with visitors from out-of-county. It’s going to be a busy season! With such a beautiful coastline and a developed tourist infrastructure it means that Cornwall will see an influx of people this year. This means a pouring in of money to the county but at the same time, an increase in accompanying waste material that is at the penultimate stage in the cycle. Especially plastic – something that we are weaning our dependence upon but haven’t quite got there yet!
With this prospect in mind, Oltco is keen to promote awareness this summer, for locals and tourists alike, of how this impacts our natural environment. Encouraging people to become ‘plastic aware’ is the team’s continuing motif, which manifests itself in the promotion of beach cleans to locals and visitors alike, thus helping to maintain the natural beauty of Cornwall’s beaches and coastline.
This attitude has always informed Oltco’s approach to business as well. Sustainability encapsulated within a sustainable product was something that led to the creation of two unique solutions – Recycle Bound and Recycle Base. The first of these is a resin solution that is made using a mix of stone and aggregates as well as recycled waste plastic. Developed in-house by its team of technical experts, Recycle Bound is a world first, with the waste plastic used obtained from a dedicated plastic recycling point. It features a combination of plastic drink bottles, food packaging and straws and is an ideal solution for outdoor areas including driveways, patios, footpaths, balconies, terraces, courtyards and beer gardens. The emphasis is also upon longevity which means it is both durable as well as beautiful with a low-maintenance tenure. Recycle Base, meanwhile, is a ground reinforcement system which utilises stone and low-grade plastic, including waste ocean plastic. Low-grade plastic is difficult to recycle and is often incinerated, releasing CO2 into the atmosphere. Using this type of plastic ensures that it is recycled to prevent further CO2 emissions.
Oltco has now recycled over 200 million plastic straws in Recycle Bound transformations across the UK and Channel Islands which, we’re sure you’ll agree, is an incredible achievement!
Oltco LTD
