This Public Park Is Made Completely From Recycled Plastics That Were Pulled From the River it Sits On!

In Rotterdam, the Netherlands, an initiative has led to the creation of one of the most unique small public parks. Recycled Park is made entirely out of recycled plastic that was collected from the very same river it is now floating on!

It took almost five years for Recycled Park to be completed, Lonely Planet reports. The prototype of the park was finally debuted by its creators, Recycled Island Foundation, on July 4th, 2018.

The entirety of the park is constructed from modular hexagonal sections, which makes it possible for the park to expand. The elements are made of plastic litter that is retrieved from the river, then sorted, and finally recycled. Even the tiles on the seating area are made from recycled materials – in this case, PET bottles.

In its more developed version, Recycled Park will also serve the river by stopping plastic waste coming from the city before it travels towards the ocean. But that is still not the last of its eco-friendly features – the park is also designed as a wildlife habitat for micro fauna, including snails, beetles, fish, and more.

Besides the many “green” functions of the park, it also serves the role that a public park is naturally expected to serve – it includes a seating area where you can relax and spend the afternoon in the sun.

“This prototype shows the potential of what we can do with marine litter,” said Ramon Knoester, creator of the project. “Recycled Park is a floating green structure where birds are nesting, fish are swimming, and where people can enjoy a relaxing moment on the water. From the two seating elements the visitors can see how nature occupies this first new combination of artificial and natural landscape.”

The recycled park project is a unique idea that benefits the environment in many ways and can be enjoyed by people at the same time. The foundation is now exploring new locations for this innovative and eco-friendly concept – and hopefully will spread to cities across the world!

To learn more about how you can fight plastic waste, check out the One Green Planet #CrushPlastic Campaign! 

All image source: Recycled Island Foundation/Facebook