SeaBins clean up UK port

The Port of Dover’s new Seabins, installed in the marina, work by trapping litter and debris in the water to prevent it from being released into the sea.

Liz Fagg, environmental manager at the Port of Dover, said: “Environmental sustainability is fundamental to the port’s day to day operations and we are always committed to delivering new initiatives that ensure our special marine environment is healthy and protected.

“The port is ready to service future generations and the Seabins are an excellent example of how we continue to use the latest tools to maintain high environmental standards.”

Each Seabin can catch an estimated 3.9 kg of floating debris per day or 1.4t per year (depending on weather and debris volumes). This includes micro plastics as small as 2mm.

The unit is designed for the water of marinas, yacht clubs, ports and any water body with a calm environment. Water is sucked in from the surface and passes through a catch bag inside the Seabin, with a submersible water pump capable of displacing 25,000 litres per hour. The clean water is then pumped back into the sea leaving litter and debris trapped in the catch bag ready for emptying.

The Seabin was invented by surfers and former boatbuilders, Andrew Turton and Pete Ceglinski. The pair launched the initiative in 2015 with the ultimate goal of “having pollution-free oceans for our future generations”.

To date, there have been over 800 Seabins installed worldwide.