#GOODNEWS | A Police Constable has come up with an innovative way to reuse old force riot shields which otherwise would have gone to waste and ultimately, landfill.
Our force riot shields are non-recyclable and have a limited shelf life. Once this shelf life has expired, the shields are replaced and the old ones are simply stored with no further use.
In a bid to be more resourceful and eco-friendly, our own PC Richard Thomas began to plan and research ways in which riot shields could be either recycled 
or re-used which, given their purpose, was no easy task. After much research, PC Thomas’ idea was to use the retired shields to create greenhouses and potting sheds to be donated to charity and community hubs for green spaces. 
This photo shows the latest build at The Environment Centre and we hope that this project will grow 
by implementing these buildings in other green spaces and charities throughout south Wales.
PC Richard Thomas said: “It’s good to see this idea develop into something that will benefit others and I’ll be happy to be hands on in building this project further. These shields would have gone to landfill otherwise and as a force, it’s important that we do what we can to contribute to greener and more sustainable solutions and I’m glad to be a part of it in this way.”
Chief Inspector Liz McCarthy added: “This is an innovative bit of thinking by Richard that has taken a huge amount of personal time and effort to progress and get off the ground. It is an excellent way for South Wales Police to contribute towards green space and recycling, and I look forward to seeing developments across our force area.
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