Small Bin, Big Win

Blog

#Natur & Resourcen|  5 Min.

Small Bin, Big Win

How We Use the Seabin With Its Ingeniously Simple Technology, To Skim Debris From Our Ports

Wilhelmshaven's port area impresses you by its sheer size. This deep-water seaport can accommodate even the largest ships with a draft of up to 20 m. These dimensions dwarf the format of the little ‘helpers’ that were stationed here by Romina Hanisch and Björn Fuhlendorf: The Seabin, a small garbage can for the ocean. With its simple but ingenious technology, it keeps collecting waste from the water.

 

 

Wilhelmshaven is the place, where the former student trainee Romina Hanisch works, who has scientifically researched the issue. In Emden, it is the Sluice Boatswain Björn Fuhlendorf, who is pragmatically searching for solutions. They have one question in common: How do we handle the growing waste problem in the port’s water?

 

How did either of you learn about the topic Seabin?

Fuhlendorf I have been interested for quite a while in what you can do against environmental pollution. While surfing the Internet, I ran into information about Seabin. Back then, it was still a crowdfunding project, nowadays, it is a worldwide initiative. I was so excited and I just had to post a reference on our intranet. Christian Helten, Department Manager of the Port Office, read the information and gave me a ‘heads up’ that he would look into this.

Hanisch And I was searching for an exciting topic for my bachelor thesis in conjunction with my internship at NPorts. Then, Mr. Helten approached me and suggested that I should look into the Seabin topic and other options to explore which systems and concepts might work in a port setting. I was immediately interested.

 

What did you find out while working on your bachelor thesis?

Hanisch The issue of marine debris, which to many seems to be a problem that only exists in other places of the world, is right here at our doorsteps. We encounter the same problem in the North Sea. I visited all of NPorts’ locations, collected loads of garbage that had been washed ashore, and categorized it. You can really encounter this problem in any port. There are always neuralgic points, where garbage perpetually gathers: Micro plastics, macro plastics, but all kinds of other things, as well.

Fuhlendorf The amount of garbage in the ports steadily continues to grow. I have been with NPorts in Emden since 1995, but these kinds of amounts are new. It is in particular packaging waste and plastic that ends up in the water. You often run into things like protective foils, outer packaging, transport locks, and nets.

 

What is so special about the Seabin?

Hanisch The Seabin is basically a garbage can equipped with a submersible pump that constantly draws in water and funnels it through a capturing net. This way, the Seabin ‘catches’ the trash that floats in the water. Due to its micro-fine mesh, only the Seabin is capable of separating 
micro plastics with a diameter of at least 2 mm.  It is particularly those synthetic micro matters that pose a great problem for us people, since they can get into our food chain. 

 

The performance of a Seabin with a volume of 20 liters does not sound like much, when compared with the port’s water surface. How does that compute?

Hanisch The size of the Seabin can also be an advantage, since it does not interfere with port operation. And since it gets emptied on a regular basis, it can actually achieve a whooping lot.

Fuhlendorf You always expect a lot, but I must say, the Seabin really is a great support. Despite its small size, I can ‘catch’ a lot of garbage with it, if I empty it regularly. One of the most important things is that the Seabin gets place at the right spots within the ports, wherever wind or currents push the garbage and where it accumulates. 

 

 

Hanisch I am happy about every corner that is free from garbage. NPorts plans to launch additional Seabins within the next five years. There is a goal of 25 Seabins until 2025. But this little Seabin can accomplish even more: It gets us to talk about it. It gets people to re-think. And that is something!

 

Does that mean that the Seabin is both, a tool and communication, in one?

Fuhlendorf The Seabin definitely helps us to ‘wake up’ people and make them aware of the issue. There are even a few media reports about the Seabin at NPorts. You know, I live here by the sea, like to take walks, but the amount of plastic garbage I come across is staggering, you just can't close your eyes and say: out of sight, out of mind.

 

Have you also changed your everyday behavior, since you started looking into the Seabin?

Hanisch Definitely. When I saw, how much plastic waste there is everywhere, I started trying to avoid garbage on a more conscious level.

Fuhlendorf Avoiding garbage in the first place has long had a place in my heart, I avoid plastic, as much as possible, in any product. We have to start shopping and consuming differently. We have known for quite a while that we too are ingesting micro plastics through the food chain. Now is the time for everyone to change directions. Maybe the Seabin is just a small contribution, but it's a valuable one.

 

 

 

 

 427         von:

Kommentare

Wie hat Ihnen dieser Beitrag gefallen? Seien Sie die erste Person, die kommentiert.