LONDON (WSVN) — A new robot inspired by sharks that eat just about anything, is making waves in the fight against ocean pollution.

The autonomous “Waste Shark” is designed to collect trash, debris, and biomass from the surface of city waters. Creator Richard Hardiman explained that the device measures water quality by analyzing parameters such as turbidity, salinity, temperature, PH balance, and water depth.

London’s River Thames has a Waste Shark hard at work and is reportedly capable of clearing the equivalent of more than 22,000 plastic bottles a day.

Data collected by the United Nations revealed 85% of marine litter is some form of plastic and predictions indicated that by 2050, the amount of plastic in the ocean could outweigh all the fish.

The Waste Shark’s ability to stop trash before it reaches the ocean could make a significant impact in reducing this pollution. According to Hardiman, the device can travel up to three miles before it needs to be recharged and can collect more than 1,000 pounds of trash before it needs to be emptied.

“Once you empty it, you can put it back in,” he said. “It’s got batteries inside it so, it’s purely electric.”

While each machine costs approximately $25,000, the investment could prove valuable in improving water quality and reducing the impact of plastic waste on our oceans.

Copyright 2023 Sunbeam Television Corp. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Join our Newsletter for the latest news right to your inbox

Leave a comment

Plastic Education