Last year, the non-governmental organization Plastic Free North Devon collected about 480 paipos on Croyde Beach in southwestern England, according to the newspaper Naiz. In the Devon region, several beach cleanings are carried out throughout the year, and an estimated 14,500 paipos are poured each year on the coast.

When a plastic product breaks, it releases thousands of polystyrene microballs, which are very difficult to recycle. Free North Devon manufactures cushions, portfolios and other products with recycled plastic pellets. In spite of this, the association recognizes that, given the dimension of the problem, what is recycled “is little”.

Cheap Paipos

These products can be bought at a very affordable price in the shops. The price of tickets is less than ten euros and tourists only buy for use during the holiday season. These are low-quality polystyrene sheets coated with a thin layer of nylon that is produced in Asian countries. They are therefore very fragile.

They have cartoon prints and vivid colors aimed at boys and girls, covering their risk: the terrible damage they cause in the ocean. In fact, there are thousands of polystyrene paipes left lying on beaches around the world. As if this were not enough, the materials used in the manufacture of these products have not been subjected to laboratory tests, so paints and other toxic substances may be included in their components.

Alternative

Environmental organisations have called for the purchase of quality body board tables to deal with poor quality products, the only country that can be used every year. In addition, as far as resistance is concerned, well-stocked countries are not so fragile.