A clean marine environment remains high on the agenda for South Hams District Council as they now look to expand their work in the recycling of abandoned vessels across South Hams’ waters.

A big part of the Council’s drive to reduce climate change includes looking at marine activities across the District and finding ways to reduce carbon emissions and water pollution.

Boats are being regularly reported as abandoned, sunk or stranded within the Dart, Salcombe-Kingsbridge and Yealm estuaries. This is having an environmental and financial impact on the marine community. Therefore, the Council has identified these end-of-use vessels as an area of ongoing concern within the South Hams.

Back in Spring 2024, the Council worked with Creekside Boatyard in Dartmouth and industry partners to dismantle a sailing boat that had reached the end of its useful life. They then looked at ways to recycle or reuse as many component parts as possible.

The pilot successfully demonstrated that a novel piece-by-piece disassembly, recovery, and recycling approach to dealing with end-of-life boats is both achievable and time efficient. 

Cllr John McKay, South Hams District Council’s Executive Member for Climate Change and Biodiversity, said: “This research is just the first step in our work to address the issue of abandoned vessels across the South Hams.

“We want to work more closely with our industry partners, harbour authorities, marinas and boat builders. They are the ones who feel more closely the financial and environmental impact of end-of-life boats sitting in their waters and getting in the way of their day-to-day work.

“Projects such as these go a long way in supporting our ambitions to reduce climate change.”

James Scott-Anderson from Marine Environmental Specialists Blue Parameters said: “This project has successfully demonstrated that there is a solution to end-of-life vessels, and that we have options for all kinds of composite waste, and its potential for upcycling.

The project has also had the support from the Royal Yachting Association and its environmental programme The Green Blue.

Read the report and watch the Council's video at: www.southhams.gov.uk/marine-decarbonisation

Anyone who spots an abandoned boat, can report it at the The Green Blue website.