Even with perfect waste collection and management, some litter still reaches our waterways, where it can harm local wildlife and ecosystems. Through our visual audits we’ve seen the accumulation of over 1500 pieces of litter in some slips along the waterfront. To remove this litter and prevent it from further harming our aquatic ecosystems, we utilize trash capture devices.
Since 2019, with the addition of PortsToronto’s Seabins to the Outer Harbour Marina, we have been working with local stakeholders to deploy trash traps on the waterfront as part of the Toronto Inner Harbour Floatables Strategy.
Today, there is a family of Trash Traps within the Toronto Inner Harbour. These include Seabins at both the Outer Harbour Marina and along Toronto’s Waterfront. These ‘floating trash cans’ clean up litter from the waters’ surface by pumping water through a mesh bag that creates a vacuum and draws in debris floating by. We also have Osprey Litter Booms, LittaTraps and WasteSharks along Queens Quay. The booms are a floating barrier designed to prevent litter from continuing to float downstream. LittaTraps sit in storm drains and capture litter before it flows into the lake. WasteSharks are aquadrones that skim the surface of the water, filtering any debris through a catch basin and net that captures the floating waste.
Our role is to collect data on the quantity and characterization of the litter collected by these trash traps. In addition to helping us measure our positive impact, this data can inform policy by helping us understand local sources.
Waste Characterization
Our team analyzes litter captured by trash traps each season. In 2020 our team tested and refined our methods to develop two standard protocols, a simple and detailed waste characterization. These are both available through the International Trash Trap Network.
Learn more about how our methodology for quantifying and characterizing litter was developed.
Results
Data sharing: The International Trash Trap Network
All local data collected from our trash traps is shared with the International Trash Trap Network (ITTN), a collaboration between the U of T Trash Team and Ocean Conservancy. The ITTN aims to increase global cleanup efforts and to quantify our collective impact as part of the International Coastal Cleanup™. We also aim to bring together local stakeholders to build trash trapping programs that will engage the community and inform upstream solutions.
Do you have a trash trapping device to fight floatables?
Email us at info@trashtrapnetwork.org and visit the International Trash Trap Network to learn how you can collect data and measure your impact.
Keep an eye out for our team along the waterfront and come say hello (we are the ones with raccoons on our shirts)!
This project is a core part of the Toronto Inner Harbour Floatables Strategy, a collaborative strategy with a mission to reduce plastic pollution and other floating litter in the harbour. It is a collaboration between the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority the Toronto Remedial Action Plan, University of Toronto Trash Team, PortsToronto, City of Toronto, Swim Drink Fish, Waterfront Business Improvement Area, Harbourfront Centre, and Waterfront Toronto.
Additional support is provided by the Commission for Environmental Cooperation, the University of Toronto School of Cities, and Nieuport Aviation.
