About 63,000 pieces of small plastic were removed from Toronto Harbor in the first six months of last year. The University of Toronto trash team said 43 kilograms of plastic was collected from their network between May and October 2023.
Microplastics (less than five millimeters in size) are the most collected through the seabin, they said in a press release.
In total, 62 thousand 996 pieces of small plastic were removed from the harbor. The collection team said microplastic collection appears to have decreased slightly. This can be done through increased outreach and educational programs on waste reduction.
Ports Toronto president and chief executive officer (CEO) RJ Steenstra said in a statement that floating waste and plastic pollution are not Toronto’s only problems. We know that it’s a problem in urban waterways all over the world. What’s unique about Toronto is that we have an alliance of like-minded organizations that have come together to find innovative solutions.
The Trash Team, made up of students, researchers, volunteers and staff, has been collecting waste in Lake Ontario since 2019 using technologies such as Seabin and Westshark. Seabins are floating garbage cans that collect waste by pumping water through mesh bags. Westsharks, on the other hand, move slowly on the surface of the water.
Since 2019, the team has collected hundreds of kilograms of litres. It contains millions of plastic particles. In 2022, the trash team collected 96,208 pieces of waste, amounting to 118 kilograms.
