The Christmas holidays are fast approaching, so why not escape the Christmas rush for a while and get outside for a walk along one of the Island’s many beautiful beaches.
If you have trouble encouraging the kids to join you, maybe you could suggest they try their hand at plastic archeology.
Plastic archeology is the study of plastic as part of our history. It’s also a good way to help clean up the beaches. So as you walk along, look out for pieces of plastic to collect, study (and then dispose of carefully).
Smartie facts – what to look for
Among the many items of plastic washing up, Smartie lids are some of the most colourful and appealing to plastic archeologists. You might want to look carefully along the strand line where all the seaweed and smaller bits of plastic tend to wash up.
Any plastic Smartie lid you find must be over 20 years old because Nestle, who now produce Smarties, replaced the plastic lids with cardboard in 2005. If the lid is an inch wide and has the name of the original manufacturer ‘Rowntree’ on it, then it might date back to the 1950s!
Rowntree also started adding a letter of the alphabet in the fifties and sixties so check the underside of the lid as well.
Metric lids
If the lid is less than an inch in diameter that means it was produced after 1965 when Rowntree switched to metric measurements. Also look closely at the letter; until 1975 the letters were all capitalised but then written in lower case from ’75 to ‘88. In 1988, Nestle replaced the Rowntree name on the top of the lid with the name ‘Smarties’.
If you find a lid with a letter, but no name on the other side, it’s probably from an overseas manufacturer producing a similar type of sweet and might well be much more recent.
Share your Smartie lid photos
If and when you do find a Smartie lid please take a photo – note the date and location and send us a photo or share on our social media.
We’d also love you to send or let us collect your find to add to our expanding alphabet.
Become a community volunteer
If you would like to help IW community volunteers, Planet Aware, especially over the winter months when so much more plastic litter gets washed in, please get in touch.
We are dedicated to reducing plastic pollution on the Island’s beaches and have removed approx five skips worth in 2025.
A fun way to meet others and do your bit
So as well as trying your hand at plastic archeology, beach cleaning is a fun way to get outside, meet some friendly people, and do your bit to help combat marine plastic pollution on our coast.
Bring your time and skills to the group.
Stay safe
If you are going to look for Smartie lids please check the tides, use protective gloves, and keep away from cliff edges.
For more details on Planet Aware and beach cleanups, visit the website.
Have a happy Plastic Less Christmas!
News shared by Sarah on behalf of Planet Aware. Ed
