The vast quantities of plastic sailors and swimmers observe in the sea could be a thing of the past if inventions such as the ‘Seabin’ that is being trialed by MDL Marinas and Land Rover BAR succeed.
“After designing and installing the Solent Oyster refuge equipment we’re delighted to be helping with the installation of the Sea Bin,” said Dean Smith, Commercial Director. “MDL is always striving to support new initiatives that remove pollutants in our waters and protect the local ecosystem. The SeaBin is a fantastic idea, and proven to do the job!”
Putting the Sea Bin In
The Seabin is an automated rubbish collection device that will sit alongside the 1,000 oysters housed in protected cages on the Land Rover BAR pontoon, Old Portsmouth, that were introduced as part of a scientific project and launched in 2015.
Each Seabin collects floating debris and micro plastics down to 2mm in diameter and has the capability to collect 83,000 plastic shopping bags or 20,000 plastic bottles per year.
The team are expecting to remove half a tonne of debris from the waters around The Camber each year, as-well as removing pollutants such as oils and detergents.
The Seabin was helped by a crowdfunding campaign that was supported by Land Rover BAR: “The collaboration with Seabin Pty forms part of the team’s on-going drive to become the most sustainable sports team in the world,” said Jo Grindley, Land Rover BAR CMO/ CCO.
“The ocean is our playground and when opportunities come along to partner with exciting and innovative projects, such as the Seabin, we are really keen to support and work together to help improve the health of the oceans.”
See Plastic in Paradise
It’s been estimated that the volume of plastic leaking into the sea is approximately eight million metric tons a year – with only nine percent being recycled – and less than 20 percent of this originates from ocean-based sources like fisheries and fishing vessels.
As you can see below, these freedivers in Bali were surrounded by waste, of all types, during a recent dive.
This means that over 80 percent of ocean plastic comes from land-based sources; once plastic is discarded, if processing or recycling is not well managed, it ends up in the sea, highlighting how essential it is to reduce/reuse/recycle and eliminate single use plastics to start with. This was a big focus of the educational element of the launch.
First in the UK for MDL Marinas
One bin does not solve the problem but it is the first step in in what has to be a global push to keep our seas as clean as possible, so many more marinas will have to follow MDL’s example.
The Seabin Project is approaching the challenge from several angles, with special focuses on education, research and technology.
This floating rubbish bin can be located in the water at marinas, docks, yacht clubs and commercial ports, where it collects all floating rubbish.
Water is sucked in from the surface and passes through the catch bag inside the Seabin. The water is then pumped back into the marina leaving litter and debris trapped in the catch bag to be disposed of properly.
The Seabin also has the potential to collect some of the oils and pollutants floating on the water surface. Currently using a 12-volt submersible water pump that utilises alternative and clean energy sources. These may include solar, wave or wind power, depending on the location and available technology.
You can see more here: http://seabinproject.com
