An innovative idea to help clear the ocean of plastics.
By Judy Evans
@JudyEv (325818)
Rockingham, Australia
February 17, 2019 3:45am CST
The photo shows how we used to move our two rubbish bins to the kerb. It is relevant to the story only in that the text is about rubbish too.
When I get a bit stuck for something to share with you all, I sometimes check out the news channel and I’ve come up with something really interesting.
Two Perth, West Australian surfers came up with a prototype ‘sea bin’ in 2015. A crowd-funding campaign enabled the device to be produced commercially and now the first Seabin is being trialled by the City of Cockburn in Perth’s southern suburbs.
The bin is situated at the Port Coogee boat marina, an area known for its seahorses, turtles, seals and dolphins as well as a wide variety of fish.
It is sucking in 3 kgs of rubbish a day although it can hold up to 20 kgs at a time. It is the size of a standard rubbish bin and has been capturing over a dozen types of plastic including cigarette butts, polystyrene beads, plastic wrappers and fishing lines. The container has a small motor. The noise from this and the movement of the bin as it bobs up and down means that fish have been avoiding the bin.
This prototype is pulling in only a miniscule amount. But, as the song says, from little things big things grow and maybe this will spark the creation of something bigger and better.
A unique floating rubbish bin, which effectively acts as a vacuum cleaner for the ocean, is being put to good use in WA waters.
40 people like this
41 responses
@GardenGerty (157555)
• United States
17 Feb 19
Even a little bit helps and they could be placed in many places to help the pollution.
3 people like this
@ptrikha_2 (45489)
• India
28 Feb 19
@GardenGerty
Yes that would be a great idea !
1 person likes this
@ptrikha_2 (45489)
• India
17 Feb 19
A start is often what is needed. Eventually if this idea survives the test of time, and economics, then it can catch up and can be good not only for the Australian folks, but for the whole world.
2 people like this
@ptrikha_2 (45489)
• India
28 Feb 19
@JudyEv yes and could be useful in India too with its big coastline.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (325818)
• Rockingham, Australia
18 Feb 19
So simple in a way. You wonder how come no-one has thought of it before.
@sunrisefan (28524)
• Philippines
17 Feb 19
Will it not suck the small fish too? BTW, won't the rear bumper of your car not have any scratches with the way you pull your rubbish bins?
3 people like this
@JudyEv (325818)
• Rockingham, Australia
17 Feb 19
Apparently not. There is a small motor so it makes a bit of noise and it's also bobbing up and down. They say they have watch fish swim near it but then they veer away. The rubbish bin was actually sitting on the tow ball and didn't touch the car. We have a different car now but still hook up the bin in the same way.
2 people like this
@sunrisefan (28524)
• Philippines
17 Feb 19
@JudyEv Thanks for clearing up, Ms. Judy :)
2 people like this
@crazyhorseladycx (39515)
• United States
24 Feb 19
i wish we could do 'way with plastics 'ntirely, but know that the oil companies 'd ne'er go fer such. fabulous that they're tryin' this. i've seem some purty cool schtuff folks're bringin' to the table to clean'p the waterways.
1 person likes this
@crazyhorseladycx (39515)
• United States
25 Feb 19
@JudyEv can't recall where, but i ran 'cross somethin' the other day 's where they'd be puttin' huge nets o'er culverts to catch all the garbage'n effort to prevent such from e'er makin' 't to the ocean. if'n they could figure a way to stop all the pesticides 'n such (simple solution, don't use 'em...danged farmers 'n folks with their artificial green grasses), that'd be win, too.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (325818)
• Rockingham, Australia
26 Feb 19
@crazyhorseladycx There is still a long way to go isn't there?
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (118449)
• Gainesville, Florida
19 Feb 19
I'm happy to see that people are taking matters into their own hands to clean up our environment. They are taking action while the governments of the world sit and do nothing. We've got to clean up our oceans. Whether we realize it or not, our oceans are our source of life on this planet.
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (118449)
• Gainesville, Florida
22 Feb 19
@JudyEv Yes, you are correct about that! I work for the government, so I know firsthand how much we sit around and talk and meet and plan and discuss and study and....well, we do everything but actually solve the problem!
1 person likes this
I'm sure your department gets a lot done too. 
@arunima25 (85328)
• Bangalore, India
18 Feb 19
Your idea shown in the picture is superb!!
And it is such a wonderful invention to make our ocean clean and safe. It is the beginning and little steps count to a long journey.
And so thoughtful that it doesn't damage the marine life.
1 person likes this
@arunima25 (85328)
• Bangalore, India
18 Feb 19
@JudyEv Yes, there is no point cleaning ocean if the inhabitants are hurt.
1 person likes this
@rsa101 (37954)
• Philippines
28 Feb 19
@JudyEv We actually have a crisis of that in our own Manila Bay where trash is all over the place. People are not even allowed to swim in it because of the amount of garbage there. They are doing a clean up of it and they have remove tons of the debris there but environmentalist says that the silt that accumulated is still very thick down elow and needs to be dredged.
1 person likes this
@arthurchappell (45002)
• Preston, England
17 Feb 19
saw a news report of a space-probe clearing away some of our space rubble the same way - great that we are starting to tidy up after ourselves more
1 person likes this
@arthurchappell (45002)
• Preston, England
18 Feb 19
@JudyEv it could be done but too many deniers are failing to support such essential projects
1 person likes this
@PainsOnSlate (21854)
• Canada
18 Feb 19
I love it, what an interesting way to clean up the water. I grew up with family who would never toss anything into the water or out the window of a car so at times I can't imagine people tossing garbage to mother nature. I know it happens but you have to wonder what they are thinking when they do it.
1 person likes this
@PainsOnSlate (21854)
• Canada
19 Feb 19
@JudyEv that is sad. I don't see trash on our highways but often in the big cities we see trash..
1 person likes this
@MarymargII (12422)
• Toronto, Ontario
18 Feb 19
Well very innovative and clever! Just hope they don't find a deep sea diver or dolphin one day! ha!
But they should have those at many beaches, etc. around the world.
1 person likes this
@MarymargII (12422)
• Toronto, Ontario
19 Feb 19
@JudyEv And I saw a doc on this very thing. There are good people everywhere trying to clean up the mess but it is appalling how much there is. Every bit cleaned up is a bonus.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (325818)
• Rockingham, Australia
18 Feb 19
Hopefully it will be helpful in clearing waterways of rubbish.
