Leeds students' face mask recycling bins removed

The boxes were made and installed by students at Leeds Beckett University

Students who placed face mask recycling bins in a Leeds park are appealing for their return, after they were removed.

The graphic design students made the boxes to a brief given to them by Leeds Beckett University, and installed three of them in the city's Hyde Park.

The team were helped by fellow student Jack Colmer, whose bin bag dispenser tackled litter in the same park.

Landowners Leeds City Council said the bins were removed after being installed without their consent.

Luc MacMahon, 23, one of the graphic arts and design students behind the boxes, said the masks would be collected from the boxes and sent to ReWorked, a company in North Yorkshire that would recycle them into new material.

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He and other students installed the boxes in the park at about 07:00 BST on Monday.

He said by midday they had been removed, and only holes were left in the ground where they had been.

The masks would have been sent to be melted down into new material

"Straight away I tried to get in touch with someone before they got destroyed," he said.

"I managed to get hold of one of the managers of Hyde Park, who said it could be a health and safety hazard. But we had done all the checks to make sure they wouldn't fall on anyone or anything, so I couldn't understand that.

"We are now trying to work out a way of getting them reinstated."

Mr MacMahon said the project was supported by Leeds Beckett University, in particular sustainability manager Mark Warner and academics from his department.

A spokesperson for the council said while it welcomes initiatives to reduce litter in parks, people should speak to staff before installing their own infrastructure.

It added: "With there being no obligation to wear a face mask outdoors, we believe the bins may be better placed at a point of exit from a setting where it is mandatory to wear one and can be disposed straight away, for example near university buildings.

"We do however believe that this initiative, including the ability to recycle face masks, is a positive and valuable resource, and we would be pleased to speak to the students to discuss how the project could be taken forward."