LIDS OFF: How you can turn bottle caps into prosthetic hands

Lids 4 kids is a new green initiative turning unwanted waste into a helping hand for children in need.

SORT IT OUT: Residents of Murroona Gardens have got behind the movement and are helping sort lids into colours.

WHEN Tammy Mason heard about a new green initiative with an unexpected hero that was helping children in need, she knew right away she wanted to get involved.

However, she never expected the response to be so immediate and positive as she was quickly inundated with thousands of the unexpected hero - plastic lids.

It's all part of the Lids4Kids movement gaining traction all over Australia which is turning bottle lids into prosthetic hands for child amputees.

The prosthetic limbs are distributed to the victims of land mines in countries that lack the medical and technical facilities to enable the youngest victims of conflict to have a second chance.

Every 500 lids donated to the organisation will make one prosthetic limb.

Mrs Mason said a post on Facebook inspired her to get the movement going in Bowen.

"I did some research and posted on a local community page about it," Mrs Mason said.

"I was blown away, people just got behind the idea and were supporting it almost immediately.

"Countless people already reached out saying they were keen to donate."

HELPING HAND: Victorian-based Envision Hands is turning bottle caps into prosthetic limbs.

Murroona Gardens, where Mrs Mason works, has joined the movement and is helping sort and organise all of the lids that come through the facility.

In the first week since the program began in Bowen, 4873 lids have been collected and Mrs Brown says that the number will certainly rise in the next drop off.

"That number is just in a week, and we now have Pilchers Mitre 10 who run the containers for change scheme with a collection bin so that number will skyrocket," she said.

Pilchers Mitre 10 director Stephen Pilcher said that they were 'stoked to be a part of this initiative.'

"When users of the scheme come here to recycle they need to have the lids removed off their plastic bottles anyway, so this is just a fantastic pairing," Mr Pilcher said.

"It's a complete win-win, it speeds up the containers for change process with us and lets us be a part of a great cause."

Mrs Mason said that there were collection points in areas all over the state for anyone who was interested in the program.

She said it was important to make sure the lids were washed before they were donated. She also called for any volunteers as the program continued to gain traction in the local area.

Only certain types of lids that are suitable for donation - plastic lids with recycling numbers two and four stamped written on the underside of the cap.

This includes milk, water, juice and soft drink bottle caps.

For more information or to donate lids contact Mrs Mason directly on Facebook or donate through any of the local donation points.

DROP OFF POINTS

BOWEN

Pilchers Mitre 10

56 Powell Street, Bowen, 4805

PROSERPINE

Anything Environmental

28 Chapman Street, Proserpine, 4800

MACKAY

Anything Environmental

19 Interlink Court, Paget, 4740