Have You Seen The Incredible ‘Seabin’ Cleaning Up Our Beaches?

November 12, 2024

If you’ve strolled along Manly Wharf lately, you might have spotted what looks like a floating rubbish bin bobbing in the water…

That’s because, well, it is one – but this clever device is doing much more than just collecting trash. Meet the Seabin, an Aussie innovation that’s revolutionising how we clean our waterways. These smart little units work around the clock, filtering a whopping 55,000 litres of water every hour and catching everything from plastic bottles to tiny microplastics that are smaller than a grain of rice.

Seabin Co-founder, Pete Ceglinksi at the Ocean Summit. Photo by Pedro Martinez/Volvo Ocean Race.

Australian boat builders Andrew Turton and Pete Ceglinski developed Seabin, a world-first product to clean the ocean, one marina at a time. On his travels around the world surfing and building boats, Turton was shocked by the amount of rubbish he saw floating in the world’s waterways. Over a beer with his friend Ceglinski, he asked: “If we have rubbish bins on land, why don’t we have rubbish bins for the ocean?”

This simple question sparked the development of the Seabin, an innovative, world-first invention that has attracted global attention. Similar to a skimmer box in a swimming pool, the Seabin is an automated rubbish bin that collects floating rubbish, oil, fuel and detergents. It is designed for marinas, private pontoons, inland waterways, residential lakes, harbours, ports and yacht clubs.

What started as a simple idea between two Aussies has turned into a global movement.

In Sydney Harbour alone, 23 Seabins across five locations are making a massive difference, expected to capture 28 tonnes of marine debris this year while filtering billions of litres of water.

Since July 2020, Seabins in Sydney Harbour have collected over 120 tonnes of marine litter and filtered more than 23.6 billion litres of water. In 2023, they scooped up 4.7 million plastic items, including 2.3 million microplastics – that’s rubbish that would otherwise be floating in our beautiful beaches.

On the Northern Beaches, you can spot these ocean-cleaning champions at several locations, including Manly Wharf and the Manly Yacht Club. Local environmental technicians empty the bins daily, while marine scientists analyse what’s collected to better understand and tackle ocean pollution.

The community spirit behind the project is growing too. Recently, Felons Manly jumped aboard the initiative with a creative twist – they’ve brewed an exclusive Japanese rice lager where every beer sold helps fund the removal of plastic from the ocean. It’s (literally) a refreshing way to support a great cause while enjoying a cold one at the wharf.

“With sustainability at the heart of Felons’ brewing philosophy, Felons has partnered with Seabin Foundation, an environmental not-for-profit tackling ocean pollution,” says Adam Flaskas, co-founder and director of Felons and the Artemus Group. “For every glass of Japanese Rice Lager sold, one item of plastic will be removed from Sydney Harbour.”

If this story has inspired you to drink beer (job done) or more importantly, support Seabin’s mission, there are plenty of ways to get involved.

The Seabin team welcomes volunteer scientists to help with data collection, and there is plenty of information on their website about donating, corporate partnerships, and for anyone wanting to be involved in community building campaigns that deliver public facing impact. Perhaps a sponsorship subscription (much like sponsoring a child) would make a great Christmas present for a family member or in lieu of corporate gifts this year.

While Seabins can now be found all over the world, Aussie co-founders Andrew and Pete’s ultimate goal is simple: to create a world where we don’t need Seabins at all.

Until then, the next time you’re walking along Manly’s waterfront, take a moment to appreciate these hardworking heroes. They might not look like much, but they’re helping keep our corner of the ocean that little bit cleaner, one piece of plastic at a time.