A soda is drunk on a hot summer day, and thrown in a crowded trash can. During the afternoon, the monsoon begins to blow. The rubbish bin overturns due to the extreme weather, and the plastic bottle floats through the streets. Eventually it ends up in the city river, and the powerful currents in the river lead it out into the sea. It is a common story in many countries. Researchers have found that there is a small proportion of the world’s rivers, which is a major reason why plastic reaches from land to sea. Some countries do not have the resources for proper waste sorting and therefore dump the plastic directly into the river. Others send plastic waste from land to rivers. Research shows that there are about 1,000 rivers in the world that discharge 80 percent of the plastic that ends up in the oceans. This corresponds to only one percent of all rivers in the world. Therefore, it is particularly effective to stop the plastic there. And now more and more plastic catchers are starting to come on the rivers, to collect the plastic before it reaches the oceans. – It is a good effort to curb plastic pollution as close to land as possible, because if it reaches the sea, it will be broken down into micro- and nanoplastics. It has major consequences for wildlife, ecosystems, biodiversity and climate, says strategic director of Plastic Change, Anne Aittomaki, who works for a waste-free society. One of those that collects tons of plastic waste from rivers, ports and oceans is the environmental organization The Ocean Cleanup. They have developed the first plastic catcher for rivers that can be scaled on a large scale. It consists of three parts: A barrier arm traps the plastic, the currents in the river cause the waste to accumulate in front of the machine itself, where a solar-powered conveyor belt transports the rubbish up into a container system. The Ocean Cleanup is not alone But there is still a long way to go before plastic traps are placed in all 1000 rivers, which is The Ocean Cleanup’s goal. So far, they have installed plastic traps in rivers in five countries: Malaysia, Jamaica, Vietnam, the Dominican Republic and Indonesia. The Ocean Cleanup are not forerunners of the idea. There are many other local solutions in rivers and ports around the world. Among other things, the environmental organization Marea Verde, which is behind Wanda. Wanda is the first plastic catcher in Latin America, which in late June began collecting plastic from the Juan Dìaz River in Panama. Beyond that, Wanda is equipped with artificial intelligence to collect data about the plastic floating in the river. – The project includes both technology, research and information, which will reduce the amount of plastic that is thrown into the Juan Dìaz river and reaches the sea. There is an urgent need to find new ways to reduce the impact of plastics on the environment and on our health, says Sandy Watemberg, director of Marea Verde. There are also initiatives other than plastic traps to collect plastic. For example, a barrier of air bubbles, which neither fish nor boats are affected by, but which the plastic can not get through. And a “waste shark” which is an electronically controlled water drone that “eats” plastic. In Bali, locals use simple nets and floats in at least 50 rivers, which they empty by hand. Anne Aittomaki believes that it is good to put a plug in the plastic’s path to the oceans, before more long-term solutions are found. – What is needed to reduce the plastic problem is to turn off the tap. The entire value chain from production to design and consumption must be changed. It is a huge change, as it requires us to change the entire disposable culture, she says. – If dams and collection in the rivers are supplemented with reduction and new smart systems where we are not dependent on disposable plastic, then it is great.
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1000 rivers lead most of the plastic into the oceans – but now it must be stopped
