Aqua Libra has partnered with Canary Wharf Group to launch London’s first WasteShark in Middle Dock at Canary Wharf.
Created by RanMarine Technology, and inspired by a whale shark’s wide mouth, the autonomous WasteShark is designed to collect plastic waste such as microplastics and debris from the water’s surface level while collecting data to improve water quality.
The robot can travel up to 5 km and collect up to 500 kg of plastic waste a day – equivalent to around 21,000 plastic bottles. The collected waste is then brought back to shore, sorted, and recycled or disposed of responsibly.
Aqua Libra is committed to tackling plastic waste and developing technology aimed at providing healthier and more sustainable ways to buy and consume beverages. Its Flavour Tap, launched last year, eliminates the need for single-use plastic.
With only 14% of English rivers meeting good ecological status and 8 million tonnes of plastic entering the oceans every year, the WasteShark provides a low-impact solution to remove pollution from waterways. The electric robot is quiet, posing no threat to wildlife, and collects water quality data from around the world to improve our understanding of changes in water quality. RanMarine aims to deploy the robots globally to clean up waterways while making a positive impact on the environment.
Read Aqua Libra’s press release here: https://group.canarywharf.com/press-release/londons-first-wasteshark-eliminates-plastic-from-canary-wharfs-waterways-160323/
Author – Olivia Trimborn
