This Floating Trashcan Helps Prevent Ocean Pollution

Much of the ocean’s waste comes from marinas, ports, and yacht clubs. Plastic and glass bottles, metal containers, discarded fishing gear, old boat parts, oil, and other noxious materials are discarded in the water. This trash drifts through harbors and rivers and eventually ends up in the ocean. According to environmental reports, minor acts of pollution carry major consequences. About 13 million tons of trash flow into the ocean each year, and the numbers are only expected to get worse. Meanwhile, animal species suffer as their habitats gradually fill with waste.

Australian boat enthusiasts Andy Turton and Peter Ceglinski think they can nip this large-scale pollution problem in the bud by catching it at its source. They created the Seabin, a type of floating trashcan that’s intended to collect garbage, oil, fuel, detergents, and more.

The Seabin’s design is pretty simple. It’s meant to be placed into a pollution-heavy area of a harbor or marina. Currents of water flow into the Seabin, and floating trash items land in its natural fiber catch bag. The water flows through the net and is transported to a nearby dock pump. There, the water is cleaned and returned to the harbor. If the Seabin’s bag fills up, it can be emptied and reused.

Turton and Ceglinski have built a working prototype for the Seabin, and they’ve launched a crowdfunding effort to fund its production. Currently, they've raised more than $43,000, and hope to reach $230,000 before the campaign ends later this month. Learn more about the project in the video above, or check out a demonstration of how the Seabin works below. And to keep up with the latest news, check out their Indiegogo or Twitter pages.

All images courtesy of YouTube. 

[h/t Bored Panda]