MEDIA ADVISORY - Media Availability: Canadian Debut of WasteShark Aquadrone Presented by PortsToronto and U of T Trash Team

WasteSharks join PortsToronto's network of Seabins to capture floating debris and small plastic pollution from the surface of the water

Hon. David Piccini, Ontario Minister of Environment, Conservation and Parks, and Harman Idema, Consul General of the Netherlands to join in official launch

TORONTO, Aug. 8, 2023 /CNW/ - On Wednesday, August 9, 2023, media are invited to join PortsToronto for the launch of two WasteShark aquadrones that will make their Canadian debut in the Toronto Harbour.

As part of PortsToronto's larger Trash Trapping Program, two new WasteSharks will join PortsToronto's network of Seabins in a pilot program designed to capture floating debris and small plastic pollution from the surface of the water. See them in action during the launch event.

The WasteShark aquadrone operates in a similar fashion to a Roomba-like vacuum in a home. A versatile tool, the WasteShark can operate manually by remote control and can be programmed to operate autonomously along a prescribed route using an online dashboard. With a 180-litre capacity, the robot can collect and remove 1100-lbs of waste daily from the aquatic environment. 

WHEN: Wednesday, August 9, 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m.

WHERE: Pier 6, Beaver Tails patio. 145 Queens Quay W, Toronto, ON M5J 2H4

WHAT: Interview availability, photo opportunities and demonstration of WasteShark aquadrone.

WHO: 

• David Piccini, Ontario Minister of the Environment, Conservation and Parks
• Harman Idema, Consul General of the Netherlands
• RJ Steenstra, President and CEO, PortsToronto
• Dr. Chelsea Rochman, U of T Trash Team
• Darren Kirby, RanMarine

NOTE

Media are asked to RSVP by Tuesday, August 8 at 4:00 p.m. to confirm their attendance.

Please coordinate with Jessica Pellerin at [email protected] or (647) 298-0585.

The PortsToronto Trash Trapping Program employs trash trapping technology and solutions-based research to tackle plastic pollution and protect Toronto's waters for future generations. Since 2019, the program has removed hundreds of thousands of small pieces of plastic pollution from the Toronto Harbour, moving the needle toward cleaner water in Lake Ontario. 

The program is led by PortsToronto and the U of T Trash Team, in partnership with the Waterfront Business Improvement Area (WBIA) and the City of Toronto BIA Office Innovation Grant, Nieuport Aviation, the Toronto Zoo, Harbourfront Centre and Toronto and Region Conservation Authority (TRCA). It is 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, and of the International Trash Trapping Network, an initiative led by the U of T Trash Team and Ocean Conservancy, and has influenced the launch of similar trash trapping and data collection programs throughout the Great Lakes and beyond.

For more than 100 years PortsToronto has worked with its partners at the federal, provincial and municipal levels to enhance the economic growth of the City of Toronto and the Greater Toronto Area. PortsToronto owns and operates Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport, which welcomed approximately 2.8 million passengers in 2019; the Outer Harbour Marina, one of Canada's largest freshwater marinas; and, Marine Terminal 52, which provides transportation, distribution, storage and container services to businesses at the Port of Toronto. PortsToronto is committed to fostering strong, healthy and sustainable communities and has invested more than $14 million since 2009 in charitable initiatives and environmental programs that benefit communities along Toronto's waterfront and beyond. PortsToronto operates in accordance with the Canada Marine Act and is guided by a nine-member board with representation from all three levels of government.

The U of T Trash Team, co-founded in 2017, is a science-based community outreach organization made up of undergraduate and graduate students, postdocs, researchers, local volunteers and staff all working together with a common goal to increase waste literacy in our community while reducing plastic pollution in our ecosystems. Their local projects use research to inform policy and management, and education and community outreach to increase waste literacy, engage the public and implement effective solutions. Their ultimate goal is to inspire an assortment of solutions resulting in the global reduction of waste and healthier habitats for wildlife and people.

SOURCE PortsToronto