Design competition to prevent plastic pollution from reaching our oceans

GARDEN ROUTE NEWS - The Strandloper Project, based in the Garden Route, has launched a competition for designing a filter system that will remove plastic pollution from municipal water conveyance infrastructure.

The design needs to capture plastic pollution to prevent it from flushing into rivers and flowing into the ocean.

"Analysis of plastic pollution along 605km of coastline surveyed during their three annual coastal research expeditions between Storms River and Hermanus conclusively indicates that over 80% of consumer-based plastic pollution found in the ocean is derived from rivers and municipal infrastructure that flows into the sea," says Strandloper Project's Mark Dixon.

The competition, which has a prize of R25 000, is looking for a design that intercepts and removes plastic pollution from storm water drains and effluent pipes.

The mechanism should be self-cleaning in a range of flow rates and should separate plastic items into a serviceable container for responsible recycling and disposal.

The competition has two rounds. The first round, which closes on 28 April, is for submissions of designs to be judged by a panel of judges, who will select a shortlist of five entrants from which the winner will be selected.

Competition details are on the Strandloper Project website.

"If you think that you have a design that can prevent plastic pollution flowing into the ocean, then this is your chance to get it into service where it is sorely needed," says Dixon.

80% of consumer-based plastic pollution found in the ocean comes from rivers and municipal infrastructure that flows into the sea.