Takamatsu, Kagawa Pref. (Kyodo) Regional Japan Coast Guard o ffices have started introducing inexpensive lifesavers made with used plastic bottles instead of using expensive lifesaver vests.
The Takamatsu Coast Guard O ce has placed the lifesavers at three breakwaters in Kagawa Prefecture popular for shing. A brand-new lifesaver costs ¥5,000 to ¥20,000 depending on the size, but one made from plastic bottles only costs about ¥200. The Takamatsu Coast Guard O ce began to set up the flotation devices after junior high school students and an organizer of a children's activity group in Sanuki, Kagawa Prefecture, rescued a person who was nearly drowning with a raft made with 16 plastic bottles. Plastic bottle lifesavers were first created by an offi cer at the Wakamatsu Coast Guard O ce in Kitakyushu.
Reference:
http://inventorspot.com/articles/plastic_bottle_lifesavers_save_lives_and_dollars_21169
