Nearly 63K pieces of plastic collected from Toronto Harbour within 6 months last year
![Wasteshark A Wasteshark collects trash from Toronto's harbourfront. (Provided by University of Toronto Trash Team and Ports Toronto)](/content/dam/ctvnews/en/images/2024/2/26/wasteshark-1-6784081-1708971093686.jpg)
Nearly 63,000 pieces of small plastic were removed from the Toronto Harbour in a six-month period last year.
The University of Toronto Trash Team said that about 43 kilograms of litter were collected from its network of traps between May and October 2023.
“Tiny debris, including microplastics (items smaller than five millimetres) remain by far the most common items by count collected by Seabins,” they said in a news release.
In total, about 62,996 pieces of small plastic were pulled from the harbour.
- Download our app to get local alerts on your device
- Get the latest local updates right to your inbox
The team said that it appears as though there was a slight decrease in the amount of microplastics collected, in part due to “additional outreach and educational efforts towards waste reduction.”
"Floating debris and plastic pollution in the water is not a problem unique to Toronto. We know that this is an issue prevalent in urban waterways around the world,” RJ Steenstra, President and CEO of PortsToronto, said in a statement.
“What is unique about Toronto is that we have a coalition of like-minded organizations that have come together to find innovative solutions that leverage new technology and local research and trades to help make a difference.”
The Trash Team—made of students, researchers, volunteers and staff—has been collecting trash in Lake Ontario since 2019, using technology known as Seabins and Wastesharks.
A Seabin is a floating garbage can that collects waste by gently pumping water through a mesh bag, creating a vacuum that sucks items inside, while a Wasteshark moves slowly along the surface of the water.
Since 2019, they have collected hundreds of kilograms of litter, including hundreds of thousands of small plastic pieces.
In 2022, the Trash Team collected 96,208 pieces of waste, equalling just over 118 kilograms.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
![](https://www.ctvnews.ca/polopoly_fs/1.6968186.1721272613!/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/landscape_800/image.jpg)
JD Vance introduces himself as Trump's running mate and makes direct appeal to his native Rust Belt
Introducing himself to the nation after being tapped as Donald Trump's running mate, JD Vance used his Wednesday night address to the Republican National Convention to share the story of his hardscrabble upbringing and make the case that his party best understands the challenges facing struggling Americans.
Two deaths in listeriosis outbreak linked to plant-based milk recall
Two people have died after an outbreak of listeriosis trigged a national recall of certain plant-based milks, the Public Health Agency of Canada said Wednesday.
Quebec filmmaker denied replacement hand after airplane propeller accident
The War Amps is speaking out after one of its members who lost most of his hand in an airplane propeller accident was denied coverage by Quebec for a mechanical hand.
Video shows B.C. grizzly basking in clawfoot tub
A donated clawfoot bathtub has become the preferred lounging spot for a pair of B.C. grizzly bears, who have been taking turns relaxing and reclining in it – with minimal sibling squabbling – for the past year.
John Deere ends support of 'social or cultural awareness' events, distances from inclusion efforts
Farm equipment maker John Deere says it will no longer sponsor 'social or cultural awareness' events, becoming the latest major U.S. company to distance itself from diversity and inclusion measures after being targeted by conservative backlash.
Rare photos reveal uncontacted tribe in Peruvian Amazon as loggers move in
Rare images of the Mashco Piro, an uncontacted Indigenous tribe in the remote Peruvian Amazon, were published on Tuesday by Survival International,
'I feel like he did not die in vain': Family responds to report on tortured B.C. boy's death
The heartbreak over the death of an Indigenous 11-year-old Fraser Valley boy, tortured and then ultimately killed by his foster parents, was felt by all who knew him.
Biden tests positive for COVID, will self-isolate in Delaware
U.S. President Joe Biden, under pressure from fellow Democrats to drop his re-election campaign, tested positive for COVID-19 while visiting Las Vegas on Wednesday and is self-isolating after experiencing mild symptoms, the White House said.
Day three of the RNC: Trump made an appearance, JD Vance addressed the crowd
The third day of the Republican National Convention was underway in Milwaukee on Wednesday evening, with speakers including Donald Trump's newly selected vice-presidential pick, JD Vance, as well as the former U.S. president's son, Donald Trump Jr.