Lego Is Washed Up

[leafan]

Hi, I wondered if any of you had seen this article from 21st February 2019 over on the Mirror website:

"Lego washes up on UK beach 20 years after 5million pieces spill from cargo ship"

Apparently, Tracey Williams, who regularly collects the Lego, has a Facebook Group on the subject, called Lego Lost at Sea.

Also, here's their Twitter account.

I thought it was an interesting article and made me want to go down to Cornwall to hunt for lost Lego Castle parts. They must be saved!

[Lyichir]

It's an interesting phenomenon for sure.

I actually was recently trying to think about how a Bionicle movie could best feature a metanarrative like those of the previous Lego cinematic movies, and thought this could be a neat inspiration. The Toa could wash up to a real island in canisters like in the original storyline, and become part of the play experience of a local who considers them "heroes" who have arrived to save the "infected" creatures and villagers assembled from parts that had washed up after being completely exposed to the elements. Of course, I doubt Lego would go for a storyline like this even if they were interested in doing such a movie since it associates them so closely with plastics being washed out to sea, which we now better understand the environmental impact of.

[Mylenium]

15 minutes ago, Lyichir said:

Of course, I doubt Lego would go for a storyline like this even if they were interested in doing such a movie since it associates them so closely with plastics being washed out to sea, which we now better understand the environmental impact of.

Yupp. As cool as it is from a LEGO historic POV, it's also oddly disconcerting...

Mylenium

[MAB]

That story comes up a lot in the UK news. For example, BBC July 2014 https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-28367198, BBC Jan 2015 https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-28582621, it appeared in many newspapers in 2017 on the 20th anniversary, such as https://www.cornwalllive.com/news/cornwall-news/lego-lost-sea-cornwall-beaches-854996.

I haven't a clue why The Mirror resurrected it in 2019 though. Maybe it is a standby story for slow news days.

 

[leafan]

6 hours ago, MAB said:

That story comes up a lot in the UK news. For example, BBC July 2014 https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-28367198, BBC Jan 2015 https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-28582621, it appeared in many newspapers in 2017 on the 20th anniversary, such as https://www.cornwalllive.com/news/cornwall-news/lego-lost-sea-cornwall-beaches-854996.

I haven't a clue why The Mirror resurrected it in 2019 though. Maybe it is a standby story for slow news days.

 

Naturally. Interesting non-the-less.

[Johnny1360]

Well at least we know where all the brown mast rigging pieces went. It is good to see the parts are weathering well, would be great to find some of those pieces in pristine condition. Not to make light of the pollution aspect either but it is my understanding that it is the stuff that breaks down really easy and turns into micro-plastic that is doing the most harm to the environment. I know of course these LEGO pieces will eventually degrade but hopefully a great many of them will wash up on shore and find thier way into children's toy boxes first. Not trying to cause controversy, just wishful thinking.

[dr_spock]

I recall reading about it a few years ago.  There are hundreds of shipping containers lost overboard at sea each year.  They carry every kind of goods including dangerous goods. 

 

 

 

[Peppermint_M]

There is also a fleet of rubber ducks out there on the ocean! Those guys are not degrading as they are made to float. Apparently, tracking them has been a valuable insight into ocean currents!

Personally, I have never chanced to find any of this legendary LEGO when I am in Cornwall, but it is always a fun story.