Projects: Clean the sea
Location: Australia
On the 24th of May 2023, we welcomed Seabin Foundation, on the alarming challenge of over 160 million tonnes of plastic being produced each year. Seabin Smart Tech, similar to a rubbish bin X pool skimmer, removes floating plastics as small as 2mm, filtering 600,000L of water per day from oil and surface pollutants.
With no established system to close the loop, this has led to over 70 years of accumulation of plastics in landfill (40%) and the environment (32%), with only 10% being recycled.
Plastics end up in waterways and oceans, breaking down into ever smaller pieces called micro-plastics, well known for entering the food chain through the water, air and food that we consume.
Key insights
What does the Seabin Foundation do?Â
The Seabin Foundation is dedicated to addressing the issue of ocean pollution, with a specific focus on plastic pollution, by collaborating with communities and leveraging the data and science behind Seabin Smart Technology.
Seabins, similar to pool skimmers, are installed in water bodies such as ports, harbors, or marinas. They operate continuously, attached to floating structures, and filter a 10-meter diameter area to remove surface debris.
Are Seabins being adopted fast enough? If not, what are the barriers?Â
The business model for Seabins initially involved selling them as commercial products, resulting in over 1,000 units sold across 53 countries in the first two years. However, due to maintenance and pump replacement needs, the model shifted to a service-oriented approach, where Seabin provides installation and ongoing maintenance.
In the past year, both the Seabin Foundation and the for-profit side have experienced remarkable growth, effectively doubling in size. Despite this progress, the scale of the plastic pollution problem remains substantial. Ideally, there would be approximately 60 Seabins in every major city and urban area to address plastic pollution at the river level before it reaches the ocean, where retrieval becomes much more challenging.
What are the impacts of the funds raised for the Seabin Foundation through the i=Change platform?Â
This funding supports the Seabin Foundation in improving its analysis of Seabin catches, aiming to maximise the knowledge gained from these continuous 24/7 plastic collection devices deployed around harbours. Unlike other technologies, Seabins not only clean up but also provide valuable scientific data. Thanks to the i=Change partnership, we’ve raised over $260,000 and counting for the Seabin Foundation.
Every $1 raised removes 1.2kg of plastic and debris from the sea
Be the change today.
