Skimmer boats to the rescue

‘Litter Skimmer’, operated by the Solid Waste Department, is designed to remove litter. It operates 10 hours a day, four days per week, picking up floating trash along the Hillsborough River, Davis Islands, and the Bay in Tampa, Florida. — ©2023 The New York Times Company

AS plastics accumulate in rivers and bays, localities across the United States are seeking creative, affordable solutions to keep their waterways clean. Many have turned to “trash skimmers,” boats that are designed to remove litter.

Tampa, Florida, is one of the latest cities to invest in such a vessel, a US$565,000 (RM2.64mil) boat that it has named the Litter Skimmer. It skims single-use plastics and other trash – as well as organic materials such as branches and leaves – from the water and onto a conveyor belt that pulls it into a storage area, a city spokesperson said.