Wärtsilä’s announced that the Seabin project, aiming to bring floating rubbish bins to Finland, marks progress, as the Seabin floating rubbish bin was installed for test use in Turku guest harbour, on the Aurajoki river, today.
The City of Turku Public Utility Property Management and the Turku guest harbour will be responsible for the operation and upkeep of the Seabin in Turku. The Seabin in Turku, donated by Wartsila, is the first one located on a river. After collecting oil for special “oil absorbers” is tested, the oil absorbers will be installed in sea buckthorn bags.
Pete Ceglinski from the Seabin Project stated: “This year is an extremely important period for Seabin to develop strategic partnerships with key partners in order to further develop the technology with a real time return of user experience. Working together with industrial leaders like Wärtsilä and forward thinking countries such as Finland is the real way forwards in the fight against the global issue of ocean plastics.”
During the partnership programme, Wärtsilä has already donated two floating rubbish bins to the City of Helsinki and the Port of Helsinki. The Seabin installed in Uunisaari in May has been relocated close to the pier of the Sirpalesaari boat in Kaivopuisto. The other Seabin has been tested in Allas Sea Pool.
By testing and learning lessons from the pilot versions in Helsinki, new kinds of attachment systems have been developed and installed that suit Finland’s local conditions better, Wartsila informed.
The Seabin is a floating rubbish bin that is located in the water at marinas, docks, yacht clubs and commercial ports, where it collects all floating rubbish. Water is sucked in from the surface and passes through the catch bag inside the Seabin. The water is then pumped back into the marina leaving litter and debris trapped in the catch bag to be disposed of properly. The Seabin also has the potential to collect some of the oils and pollutants floating on the water surface.
