Cork's Toy Library urges families to embrace 'Circular Christmas' campaign
Swap, Library Share, Free Local In Families Find Lets Area And Pre Use Toys Toy Loved Keogh Their Platform To The Clare Picture:
Parents and families across the country are being encouraged to take part in a Cork-based initiative aimed at promoting pre-loved toys and reducing the environmental impact of plastic waste over the Christmas season.
A landmark 2014 United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) study found that the toy industry uses 40 tonnes of plastic for every $1m in revenues it generates. The study described the industry as "the most plastic-intensive industry in the world".
Around 80% of all toys end up in landfill, incinerators, or the ocean, and plastic toys often contain heavy metals, such as lead or cadmium, or other harmful chemicals such as dioxins, which can pollute ecosystems.
A recent Irish study found that approximately 5.5 million plastic toys are lost and discarded here each year.
Led by a researcher at University College Cork (UCC), the Toy Library offers a free way for families to refresh toy collections without spending money, while also reducing emissions and waste in the process.
The free-to-use platform, which went live over the summer, lets families share, swap, and find pre-loved toys in their local area.
Ahead of the festive season, the team behind the platform are urging people to join their 'Circular Christmas' movement and choose at least one toy from The Toy Library for their children's Christmas presents.
In a bid to give families the opportunity to exchange pre-loved toys that children have outgrown while letting them discover new favourites to take home, the Toy Library is holding a toy swap event at UCC on Sunday, December 8.
The event will also feature a 'Teddy Bear Hospital' where UCC Medical Society and Surgeon Noonan volunteers will stitch, patch, and restore the condition of dolls, teddy bears, or stuffed animals.
The Toy Library is also leading a new online education campaign to highlight sustainable holiday practices, to raise awareness about the environmental impact of traditional toy consumption, and to showcase the benefits of toy swapping for a greener future.
"Our Circular Christmas initiative reimagines the season by promoting pre-loved gifts, helping families celebrate sustainably,” said the Toy Library's founder and director, Giorgia Anile.
"The disposal of unwanted toys is particularly harmful to the planet as large amounts of greenhouse gases are emitted, with a significant majority of toys made of non-biodegradable plastics," she said.
More information on the Toy Library, and tickets for its Christmas event at UCC on December 8, is available at www.thetoylibrary.ie
CLIMATE & SUSTAINABILITY HUB