Plastic pollution and floating trash in water resources is an ever-growing global problem. Not only it is dangerous for human beings, but also for the wildlife as well. Luckily, sometimes, the simplest and easiest solutions are proven to be the most effective. This year the whole world heard about an Australian city Kwinana – and for a good reason. (Facebook cover image: City Of Kwinana)
Back in March 2018 the city of Kwinana installed two drainage nets in Henley Reserve
The drainage nets or so-called “trash traps” were placed to reduce the discharge of plastic waste from drainage systems. The nets are designed to prevent pollutants and solid waste, carried by stormwater from the local road network, from flowing into the nature reserves. The trash traps were placed on the outlets of two drainage pipes, located between residential and natural areas.
Image credits: City Of Kwinana
The nets, including manufacture, installation and civil work, cost the city about $20,000
This kind of waste management was proven to be extremely cost-effective, as manual labor (workers used to collect the trash by hands) was reduced to a bare minimum. Traps are relatively easy to install, and when they get full – they are picked up with a crane.
Image credits: Storm Water Systems
After installation in March, in a period of four months, the nets caught around 815lbs (370kg) of trash
The collected waste was transported into a sorting facility, where the green waste was then converted into mulch, and recyclable/non-recyclable materials were separated and the plastics recycled. The city’s residents are glad that the nets were proven to be such an extremely successful project. The local wildlife benefited as well – not only do they live in a cleaner area, but the trash traps are not dangerous for them, as to date no animal has been caught up in either of the nets.
Image credits: Storm Water Systems
Mayor Carol Adams says that the local community was always concerned about environmental initiatives
“We know that the Kwinana community is very passionate about global problems and rallies around actions with positive environmental impact and if it was not for the drainage nets, 370kg of debris would have ended up in our reserve,” Adams added.
Image credits: Old Castle Infrastructure
After the city officials made a post on Facebook about the project, it went viral in just under 48 hours
“The success of the post with over 27k shares, 92k likes and 13k loves in just 48 hours from people all over the world, just goes to show how important it is for government at all levels to really start to focus on environmental initiatives such as these and realize that small actions can have big impacts,” Mayor Adams said.
The city of Kwinana is planning to install two additional drainage nets in the year 2019. The city has decided that it is the most efficient and cost-effective way of keeping water pollution low. Imagine – if 815lbs of trash were collected in only four months, how much can be collected in a year or two? Hopefully, other places will follow the example of Kwinana and install nets in their cities as well.
Image credits: Storm Water Systems
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Share on FacebookSimple, effective and not very expensive. I'd love to see this implemented all over the world.
This was on reddit first (like everything on BP). Someone in the comments explained why it isn’t possible to do it everywhere because of different sewer systems or something. I can’t remember exactly what it was though.
Load More Replies..."Occam's razor" in action. The simplest and most cost effective solution was the best solution for this area's pollution problem.
I can understand that the leaves and vegetable matter help the ecosystem of the lake - but anything that keeps the plastic waste out cannot be anything but good. There are probably a few places in my town which would benefit from this. Our town beck has been going for 100's of years - back to 1200 AD - the town was built around it - it powered all mills and industry within 2 miles. would love to keep the plastic waste out of it
I would like to see the people that make the products be charged for the cleanup. This way products with consumers that just throw stuff around will have to become more expensive to pay for the clean up.
Why should the manufacturer be responsible for somebody else littering?
Load More Replies...In case any one was wondering...The City of Kwinana is a local government area of Western Australia. It covers an area of approximately 118 square kilometres in metropolitan Perth, and lies about 38 km south of Perth central business district.
I am a 7th grade student, we had a science project to do, so i figured i would use a pantyhose over some coke bottles to achieve this kind of effect, the cool thing is, I thought all of this up MYSELF, I have never even seen this before, I am surprised this is actually a real thing now.
Fantastic and simple idea, just a shame that so much rubbish is thrown on the ground and ends up in the sewer system to start with...
I wish USA would learn from other countries about sustainability recycling etc
Canada has shown very little interest in learning from the best that the other countries have to offer (and learning from them to avoid their mistakes too) and it makes me so sad.
Load More Replies...Great idea! Too bad though we need this instead of people not throwing anything anywhere
US$20,000? Multiyply that by (Nigerian) N750 and only millionaires consents will be needed. I'm an average citizen but I really want to help make our ocean clean.
This is a great invention! Is there anyway to follow up with this story? Or a company website?
This is good idea but not perfect, i have done same mistake and regret it, i cant go to take it away. is one huge problem frogs and other who dont get out from net. net would be better to be start of pipe, and pik up before those go to pipe network.
From Newport, RI, How I wish that our town leaders and Water Dept. had installed this simple, effective system instead of a high cost, high maintenance, and not green UV purification system.
"The local community was always concerned about environmental issues" and yet there is all that rubbish floating around? Great idea though, it should be launched world wide.
Why has Canada not adopted this yet?? This is brilliant. Will drastically help the sea life
If you don't litter, you won't have to come up with hacks bbc-new-me...9b8f12.jpg
Lots of litter is not necessarily the result of negligence, just of high winds. Much of the trash I see would be highly unlikely to have come from casual dropping on the street.
Load More Replies...Common sense just might be getting a bit more common these days,....and also when the city does anything, it is always stupid expensive.
Simple, effective and not very expensive. I'd love to see this implemented all over the world.
This was on reddit first (like everything on BP). Someone in the comments explained why it isn’t possible to do it everywhere because of different sewer systems or something. I can’t remember exactly what it was though.
Load More Replies..."Occam's razor" in action. The simplest and most cost effective solution was the best solution for this area's pollution problem.
I can understand that the leaves and vegetable matter help the ecosystem of the lake - but anything that keeps the plastic waste out cannot be anything but good. There are probably a few places in my town which would benefit from this. Our town beck has been going for 100's of years - back to 1200 AD - the town was built around it - it powered all mills and industry within 2 miles. would love to keep the plastic waste out of it
I would like to see the people that make the products be charged for the cleanup. This way products with consumers that just throw stuff around will have to become more expensive to pay for the clean up.
Why should the manufacturer be responsible for somebody else littering?
Load More Replies...In case any one was wondering...The City of Kwinana is a local government area of Western Australia. It covers an area of approximately 118 square kilometres in metropolitan Perth, and lies about 38 km south of Perth central business district.
I am a 7th grade student, we had a science project to do, so i figured i would use a pantyhose over some coke bottles to achieve this kind of effect, the cool thing is, I thought all of this up MYSELF, I have never even seen this before, I am surprised this is actually a real thing now.
Fantastic and simple idea, just a shame that so much rubbish is thrown on the ground and ends up in the sewer system to start with...
I wish USA would learn from other countries about sustainability recycling etc
Canada has shown very little interest in learning from the best that the other countries have to offer (and learning from them to avoid their mistakes too) and it makes me so sad.
Load More Replies...Great idea! Too bad though we need this instead of people not throwing anything anywhere
US$20,000? Multiyply that by (Nigerian) N750 and only millionaires consents will be needed. I'm an average citizen but I really want to help make our ocean clean.
This is a great invention! Is there anyway to follow up with this story? Or a company website?
This is good idea but not perfect, i have done same mistake and regret it, i cant go to take it away. is one huge problem frogs and other who dont get out from net. net would be better to be start of pipe, and pik up before those go to pipe network.
From Newport, RI, How I wish that our town leaders and Water Dept. had installed this simple, effective system instead of a high cost, high maintenance, and not green UV purification system.
"The local community was always concerned about environmental issues" and yet there is all that rubbish floating around? Great idea though, it should be launched world wide.
Why has Canada not adopted this yet?? This is brilliant. Will drastically help the sea life
If you don't litter, you won't have to come up with hacks bbc-new-me...9b8f12.jpg
Lots of litter is not necessarily the result of negligence, just of high winds. Much of the trash I see would be highly unlikely to have come from casual dropping on the street.
Load More Replies...Common sense just might be getting a bit more common these days,....and also when the city does anything, it is always stupid expensive.
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