Plastic Boat Launched at Millwall Docks

Executive Summary

Hubbub, an environmental charity focused on practical community action, required a durable, low‑maintenance vessel to support litter‑collection activities in urban waterways.

Traditional wooden boats can require regular upkeep, particularly when used in environments exposed to floating debris, weathering and frequent public use.

Working collaboratively with boatbuilder Mark Edwards, Hubbub developed a punt‑style vessel constructed using a high proportion of recycled plastic polymer*. The boat was launched at Millwall Docks with support from the UK Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra), local schoolchildren and Paralympic sailor Alexandra Rickham.

The result: a long‑life, low‑maintenance craft designed to support ongoing “plastic fishing” activities and raise awareness of litter in Britain’s waterways.

About the Client

Hubbub is a UK‑based environmental charity that creates practical, community‑led initiatives to reduce waste and improve local environments. The organisation partners with schools, local authorities and businesses to deliver hands‑on programmes that encourage public participation in environmental stewardship.

With a focus on behaviour change and scalable community action, Hubbub requires solutions that are robust, safe and suitable for repeated public use.

The Challenge

As Hubbub expanded its “plastic fishing” activities, traditional wooden boats presented several challenges:

Regular maintenance requirements, including repainting and repairs.
Exposure to weathering, particularly in busy dock environments.
Operational downtime, limiting the number of community sessions that could be delivered.

Hubbub sought an alternative that would offer long service life, reduced maintenance needs and consistent performance during frequent public engagement activities.

The Solution

Hubbub collaborated with boatbuilder Mark Edwards to design and construct a punt‑style vessel using recycled‑plastic polymer materials.

The final design incorporated:

Recycled‑plastic boards engineered for durability and weather resistance.
A traditional punt form, providing stability for litter‑collection activities.
Low‑maintenance construction, reducing the need for repainting or rot‑related repairs.
A robust structure suitable for repeated use by school groups, volunteers and community organisations.

The boat— named Poly‑Mer— was launched at Millwall Docks with participation from Environment Minister Thérèse Coffey, Paralympic sailor AlexandraRickhamand pupils from Canary Wharf College.

^{*Recycled content percentage may vary by specification.}

The Results

The collaborative project enabled Hubbub to expand its water‑based litter‑collection activities more efficiently, delivering several key benefits:

Increased programme capacity, supporting more community “plastic fishing” sessions.
Reduced maintenance requirements, helping ensure consistent availability for public use.
Improved durability, supporting long‑term deployment in busy urban waterways.
Use of recycled‑content materials, aligning with Hubbub’s sustainability objectives.
Enhanced public engagement, with schoolchildren and volunteers participating in hands‑on environmental action.

The vessel now forms part of a growing fleet used to collect floating litter and raise awareness of plastic pollution in UK waterways.

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