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BBC News
11-04-2025
- Science
- BBC News
Whale on the Wharf: New sculpture made from plastic waste
People walking through Canary Wharf in central London might have had a bit of a surprise when they saw a blue whale leaping out of the don't worry, it's only a sculpture!The giant blue statue stands at four storeys tall, and is made from plastic waste and recycled Whale on the Wharf (Skyscraper), it's been created by American designers StudioKCA to highlight the impact of plastic pollution in the oceans. To make the blue whale itself, the designers worked with the Hawaii Wildlife Fund to collect plastic waste from Hawaiian beaches. They used the litter they found to build the 11 metre tall sculpture - but it's not just the whale that's made from recycled mix of concrete that was used to make the base that the whale rests on contains used coffee grounds from restaurants and cafes in Canary to Canary Wharf London,190 tonnes of spent coffee grounds is produced in the area every year. What is plastic pollution? Plastic pollution is when plastic waste ends up in the environment, and it can damage our oceans, rivers, lakes and March 2025, a new report found that the amount of plastics on beaches in the UK has increased by nearly 10%.And a 2020 research paper published in a journal called Science found that 19 to 23 million metric tons of worldwide plastic waste entered oceans and water habitats in to UK charity Whale and Dolphin Conservation, that's more than the combined weight of every single blue whale on artists Jason Klimoski and Lesley Chang, who designed the sculpture, said: "Whale on the Wharf is a physical example of why we need to change how we use and dispose of plastic in the world today."
BBC News
11-04-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Canary Wharf whale sculpture a reminder of plastic waste in oceans
A large blue whale sculpture has been unveiled at London's Canary Wharf as a reminder of the millions of tonnes of plastic waste swimming in the Atlantic and Pacific York-based architecture and design firm StudioKCA worked with the Hawaii Wildlife Fund to build the 11m (3.3ft) tall sculpture from plastic litter on the beaches of Hawaii. Its concrete base is made of spent coffee grounds from Canary Wharf's cafes and restaurants."There is more plastic swimming in our oceans than there are whales," said artists Jason Klimoski and Lesley Chang. "Whale on the Wharf is a physical example of why we need to change how we use and dispose of plastic in the world today, and we're thrilled to be showcasing this piece for the first time in the UK in Canary Wharf's waters."Whale on the Wharf (Skyscraper) is the latest artwork to join the Canary Wharf public art collection. The sculpture is made from sustainable elements, not just recycled plastic, and according to the Canary Wharf Group (CWG) has a first-of-its-kind, low-carbon concrete underwater 2009, developers CWG said it has sent zero waste to landfill from its managed areas and has put the sculpture in place to show its commitment to reducing waste and promoting a circular Harries at CWG said: "Our commitment to sustainability extends beyond the recycled plastic used in the sculpture – the installation process has also been carefully considered to reduce its carbon footprint. "Whether visitors come to the Wharf specifically to see this iconic sculpture up close, or it catches their eye when passing through, we hope it provides everyone with some pause for thought."
