Plastic pollution is when plastic waste ends up in the environment, and it can damage our oceans, rivers, lakes and beaches.
In March 2025, a new report found that the amount of plastics on beaches in the UK has increased by nearly 10%.
And a 2020 research paper published in a journal called Science found that 19 to 23 million metric tons of worldwide plastic waste entered oceans and water habitats in 2016.
According to UK charity Whale and Dolphin Conservation, that’s more than the combined weight of every single blue whale on Earth.
StudioKCA artists Jason Klimoski and Lesley Chang, who designed the sculpture, said: “Whale on the Wharf is a physical example of why we need to change how we use and dispose of plastic in the world today.”
