BANGKOK – A water debris removal device – the Interceptor from the Netherlands, will be installed on the Chao Phraya River to help extract plastic waste that would otherwise flow into the ocean. The device is expected to help remove 3-4 tons of debris from the water daily.
The Department of Marine and Coastal Resources (DMCR) has established a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with a Netherlands firm The Ocean Cleanup, on plastic waste removal from the Chao Phraya River.
As part of this project, three Interceptor devices from The Ocean Cleanup will be trialled in Thailand, starting with the Chao Phraya River in Samut Prakan, with the first device to be installed near Chulachomklao Fort.
The Marine and Coastal Resources Research & Development Institute’s Director Sumana Khachornwattanakul, said the Interceptor is an innovation proven by its performance. The device will be trialed first on the Chao Phraya River which has the most river debris of any stream in the country.
The amount of debris in Chao Phraya River in 2017 was recorded at 2,172 tons, estimated at around 173 million pieces. The amount has since dropped to 702 tons or around 42 million pieces in 2019, thanks to government measures.
The Interceptor devices are expected to help alleviate the ocean debris issue and help save marine creatures, marine resources, and coastal resources.
The Interceptor is a solar-powered automated debris extractor, able to remove 3-4 tons of garbage from the water daily. Installations of these devices will help reduce the flow of garbage from river to the sea by up to 60%. (NNT)
