This year the Club was able to take delivery of and install six SeaBin units around the premises in Rushcutters Bay to continue the Club’s commitment to the environment.
The six SeaBins which are located in various spots around the Marina have been working to collect debris, contaminants and rubbish from Rushcutters Bay. These six units have been working with great success and we can now share with you a few of the amazing statistics from their operation to date.
We are pleased to announce that between 19 April and 21 July 2020 (103 days) the six SeaBins were able to collect an astounding 1063.3kgs of items. During those 103 days, the six units were also able to filter through 61.8M litres of water, which works out to 24.7 Olympic swimming pools.
The diagram below shows a breakdown of the items which were collected.
You can read more about the SeaBin installation by clicking here.
What is a Seabin?
A Seabin is basically a rubbish bin crossed with a pool skimmer that filters the surface of the water in a marina. It collects floating rubbish, microplastics and oily pollutants from our waterways, preventing them from entering our oceans where they do significant harm to marine life.
What can a Seabin collect?
A Seabin can catch an estimated 1.4 tons per year or 3.9kg per day of floating litter. It is capable of collecting 5L bottles, microplastics down to 2mm small and surface oils. Microplastics and cigarette butts are the most common items caught!
How does a Seabin work?
The Seabin is fixed to a floating dock which moves up and down with the tide. A submersible water pump sucks surface water at 25,000 litres per hour through the Seabin, trapping all floating debris larger than 2mm in a central catch bag or absorbing oily pollutants into an oil pad. The pump is plugged directly into a power outlet and can also be run from solar.
How do we maintain the Seabin?
The Seabin catch bag, which can hold up to 20kg, is checked daily and emptied as needed. The entire Seabin is pulled out and cleaned quarterly.
How can you get involved?
The Seabin Project and Foundation are always looking for people to help with community events, data collection, crowdfunding campaigns and more. Please email contact@seabinproject.com
Great, how else can I help?
Managing your waste and disposing of it properly helps a lot. Using reusable items rather than single-use items is a good start also. And if you see litter on the ground, please pick it up and dispose of it properly.
