The Trash Interceptor, a floating trash-collecting barge, has arrived in Los Angeles and officially deployed at Ballona Creek where it meets the Pacific Ocean.
The Ocean Cleanup, an international Dutch non-profit organization, partnered with the County Department of Public Works to deploy the trash collection device, known as the Interceptor 007, in Marina del Rey last week.
It is expected to capture more than 30 tons of trash before it flows into the ocean, according to Public Works officials.
"The Interceptor is the answer for river plastic waste. It is the first scalable solution to prevent plastic from entering the world's oceans from rivers," said The Ocean Cleanup in its website.
Current efforts to prevent trash from entering the ocean from the Ballona Creek center include the use of floating mesh nets known as trash booms. The interceptor project has been touted by is backers as being an improvement over the boom system because it can both collect a greater volume of debris and is not likely to overflow during heavy rains.
In addition to providing the Interceptor for the pilot period, The Ocean Cleanup will be providing monitoring equipment to help better characterize the anticipated success of the system. Public Works officials said work to install interpretive panels and other equipment will continue through November 2022
The Ballona Creek collection project will allow for a direct way to not only address the issue of trash within Ballona Creek, but also to implement a scalable solution worldwide with the lessons learned.
Countless federal- and state-listed endangered, threatened, sensitive or otherwise protected species call Ballona Creek home, including the Southern California steelhead, the El Segundo blue butterfly, the Palos Verdes blue butterfly, the western snowy plover, the southwestern willow flycatcher, the Pacific harbor seal, the California sea lion and the coastal California gnatcatcher, according to city officials.
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