We have many problems that we are dealing with in this world but one that we are well aware of is plastic. It is horrible for the environment and one of the major problems with plastic is that it doesn’t go anywhere very fast. We also don’t know what can be done about plastic, even though a lot of effort has been put into preventing the amount of plastic that ends up in the environment. This includes the use of plastic bags and other plastic containers but what do you do about the items that are thrown away?
In Australia, a company has come up with a rather brilliant idea and it is being put into practice. The results they are experiencing are nothing short of phenomenal. Authorities from the city of Kwinana, Western Australia put a filtration system in place in the Henley reserve. It may be a simple solution but it is quite effective. The citizens and the government are already seeing the benefits of having it available.
Let’s take a look at it in detail.
The solution is a net that is placed on the outlet of drainage pipes and it catches large debris and protects the environment from contamination. At the same time, the water is able to flow freely.
As drain water runs from residential areas into natural areas, the trash and litter can be overwhelming. It is very damaging to the environment.
As trash is washed away by heavy rains, it also gets pulled into the drainage systems.
City authorities began to experiment with 2 outlets and they were amazed at what happened. The filtration system caught more than 800 pounds of garbage in only a couple of weeks.
Since they saw so many benefits from the limited test, they decided to install the traps across the entire city to minimize the pollution and to stop the harm to wildlife and the environment.
These nets are very durable. They are made out of specific materials so that they will not tear or break down over time. That being said, they do cost about $10,000 each.
Most people would agree that it is well worth any investment. It is a very effective way of cutting down on the pollution to the environment and it can also save on labor costs over the course of time.
This is only the first step in a long process. Once the nets are full then they have to be removed and the trash is thrown into garbage collecting trucks and transported to a sorting center. Everything gets separated into nonrecyclable and recyclable items and then additional processing takes place.
At that point, the nets can be put back on the drainage outlets and they continue to work.
It can be stressful when you look at the long-term need to fight plastic pollution. Not only will it take inventions like this, but it is also going to take personal responsibility on all of our parts.