London's busiest area could soon be looking a lot cleaner – thanks to a one-of-a-kind robotic shark eating up plastic waste in the waterways.
Canary Wharf sees a footfall of 120,000 people a day, either for business, shopping, or simply a visit to the area.
And in 2019 alone, 3,576,293 million pieces of single-use plastic waste were discarded or recycled in the crowded district, according to real estate company, the Canary Wharf Group.
Now, to keep the area clean, London's first marine robot, the WasteShark, has been deployed in Canary Wharf's waterways, capable of collecting as much as 500kg of waste a day – or 22,700 plastic bottles.
The machine, designed to remove floating waste in the capital city, can also collect data on water quality as it swims.
It will gather microplastics and other pollutants as it makes its way through 5km of waterway before needing a recharge.
Once the plastic is collected, the aim is to recycle it for further use.
This WasteShark was created by Britvic-owned infused sparkling water brand, Aqua Libra, whose spokesman, Steve Potts, said: “Ensuring packaging never becomes waste is a core part of our vision.
“We are excited to be bringing the brilliantly innovative technology to London in partnership with the team at Canary Wharf Group, to help tackle plastic pollution in this revolutionary way.”
Ahead of Global Recycling Day on March 18, data has revealed that only 14% of English rivers currently meet good ecological status, with pollution from agriculture, sewage, roads, and single-use plastics.
And it is estimated that eight million tonnes of plastic enter our oceans every year, much of it coming from cities through rivers.
The launch of the marine robot is the brand’s next step on its mission to tackle the issue of plastic waste in London, which will hopefully encourage consumers to make small changes in their everyday lives to recycle more.
Sophie Goddard, director of sustainability, Canary Wharf Group, added: “We aim to transform urban spaces into extraordinary environments which work for nature as well as people.
“As part of this, we are so pleased to be launching the WasteShark in partnership with Aqua Libra.
“This innovative marine technology will help us to tackle waste and maintain the environment.”
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