Come aboard the world’s first 99% recycled boats in a unique corporate volunteering opportunity in London, Birmingham and Bristol. Join us for a unique litter-picking trip to learn about and tackle plastic pollution whilst ‘fishing’ for plastic. We use the plastic collected from trips to build more boats, making Plastic Fishing the perfect example of the circular economy in action.

Since 2019 Hubbub have taken more than 4,200 volunteers Plastic Fishing in the London Docklands. We have since donated Plastic Fishing boats to the Wildlife Trust in Birmingham and Sustainable Hive in Bristol.

Why Plastic Fishing?

Did you know that 80% of the litter in our oceans gets there from land through our rivers and waterways? Much of this is single-use plastic items such as food and drink packaging, cotton buds and wet wipes. Plastics in our waterways which can harm wildlife or breakdown into microplastics.

Plastic Fishing educates people about these issues and gives people a positive and impactful way to take action. To find out more, read about our London-based trips below or fill in the enquiry form and a member of the team will be in touch.

How can Corporates get involved?

Hubbub runs Plastic Fishing sessions Monday to Friday all year round in the London Docklands for groups of 16 to 66 people.

For smaller groups of 16-33 people, these trips run for 2 and half hours and include safety and litter-picking equipment, certified skippers, access to DSWC’s facilities and our 99% recycled plastic, electric-powered boats.

Larger groups of 34-66 people are 4–hours in length and include all features of the smaller group trips. In addition, larger groups will have an interactive workshop where teams learn more about the issue, and what they can do beyond Plastic Fishing.

What does it is cost?

Sessions for 45-66 people: £3,200 + VAT per afternoon.

Sessions for 34-44 people: £2,300 + VAT per afternoon.

Sessions for 23-33 people: £1,800 + VAT per afternoon.

Sessions for 16-22 people: £1,300 + VAT per afternoon.

We can offer discounts for bookings of 5 or more trips.

Have some extra requests? Include any requests or questions when booking your session, and we will do our best to accommodate you.

What impact have we made?

As of September 2022, more than 4,200 people have been Plastic Fishing in London, collecting over 2,800 plastic bottles from London's Docklands and 300kg of recyclable plastic.

In London, the average adult consumes 3.37 plastic water bottles a week. After Plastic Fishing, 90% of participants have pledged not to buy a plastic bottle for at least a month.

With support from City Bridge Trust, we've created an education kit which is freely available for schools across the UK to download and use.

In 2019, Plastic Fishing became a nationwide phenomenon with a UK Plastic Fishing Tour.

Hubbub donates any surplus profits from Plastic Fishing trips to Canary Wharf College. So far, thousands of pounds have been donated, giving schoolchildren access to nature-based activities.

How did our “Plastic Fishing” fleet come about?

Plastic Fishing successfully demonstrated how it could reduce plastic bottles and other litter from London’s waterways, whilst educating and inspiring people to be more environmentally conscious.

In 2019, the world’s first 99% recycled plastic boat, ‘Poly-Mer’, was built using bottles from Plastic Fishing volunteers. Since then, the Plastic Fishing fleet has expanded as it has been joined by several others; ‘PET Project’, ‘Vitamin Sea’, and ‘Poly-Roger’, with thanks to the Starbucks and Khiel’s.

Creating the world's first 99% recycled boat

The Plastic Fishing boats are constructed by Mark Edwards out of a modern material called Plaswood. Plaswood is made from 99% recycled plastic, and had never before been used to build boats. Every time the boats go Plastic Fishing, volunteers collect more plastic bottles from the Docklands which can then be recycled to make more boats.

Watch the journey from bottle to boat

Plastic Fishing for schools

Unfortunately, we don’t currently have funding for school Plastic Fishing trips. However, companies are welcome to sponsor local London-based schools to join us. Are you a company who would like to fund Plastic Fishing for schools? Are you a school who would like to be added to the waiting list for a trip? Get in touch to find out more.

The Plastic Fishing Education Kit brings Plastic Fishing to life in classrooms across the UK, where the boats can’t reach. Designed for primary school children in KS2 years (aged 9-11), the kit contains a teaching guide with lesson plans, a video and activity sheets which are freely available for teachers to download and use.

With thanks to the City Bridge Trust, Tideway London, Starbucks and Kiehl's. 

If you would like to come Plastic Fishing, sponsor a school trip or have any questions, please do get in touch below.

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