Fidra

Fidra is a charity which seeks ways to gather local concerns over current and emerging environmental issues, and use these to contribute to a wider dialogue at both national and international levels.

Fidra’s charitable aspirations were born out of The Great Nurdle Hunt, when ‘A group of local mums’ became concerned that plastic pellets were washing up on their local beaches.  Using the evidence they collected they harnessed the concerns of people living around the Firth of Forth and then throughout Scotland and further afield to encourage plastics producers, users, transporters and trade associations to introduce best practice in plastic pellet management, Operation Clean Sweep.

The charity has worked on a number of projects including raising awareness of the environmental issues caused by the use of plastic cotton buds. Working at a local level they produce evidence and use this to lobby for change, both within the plastics industry and within the law. Working with other organisations their campaigns for change have had an impact, for example, it led to an announcement by the Scottish Government that a public consultation on plans to ban the manufacture and sale of plastic-stemmed cotton buds would be held.