AWARD-winning work in Exeter to rid the ocean of plastics and turn them instead into useful everyday items has won royal approval.

Exeter City Council’s Resource Recovery Manager, Matt Hulland, who lives in Crediton, travelled to St James Palace on Tuesday, February 3 to meet King Charles and Queen Camilla and to tell them about the work going on at the City Council’s Materials Reclamation Facility (MRF).

For a number of years now, Matt and the Council have played a key part in cleaning up the ocean and beaches across the UK.

Plastics and fishing gear collected from around the coast have been brought to the MRF in collaboration with Odyssey Innovation’s Net Regeneration and Marine Regeneration Schemes.

The initiative sees abandoned fishing nets from ports and harbours around the UK turned into exciting new items like plant pots, kayaks, surfboards, bins, boxes, and cups thanks to a recycling process that starts in Exeter.

Matt was one of a number of people in local government who were granted an audience with the King because their work directly impacts local communities.

The King was also told about the Cans4City initiative with Exeter City Football Club and Exeter Community Trust to collect drinks cans and send them off for recycling.

Matt said: “I spoke briefly with King Charles about Exeter’s involvement in community projects in Devon, across the Duchy and Wales around ocean plastic pollution and how we turn those plastics into new goods.

“He said ‘marvellous’, shook my hand and said that it is important we protect our seas and ocean and work to that end is vital.”

Cllr Ruth Williams, Lead Councillor for City Management, said: “Matt has been a key driver of these environmental initiatives and it’s wonderful that his work and the work of the Council has received recognition of the highest order.”