The Ballona Creek Trash interceptor has been so successful the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously to make the Trash Interceptor 007 a permanent fixture in Ballona Creek after a successful two-year pilot project.
Since its debut in October 2022, the solar-powered device has captured over 248,000 pounds of debris, including nearly 3,000 pounds of recyclable plastic.
Over the project's duration, Ballona Creek experienced 51.3 inches of rainfall, subjecting the interceptor to challenging storm conditions with peak flows of up to 18,000 cubic feet per second, according to LA County Public Works. Despite these conditions, the system completed 20 offloading operations, ensuring local beaches remained cleaner than in previous storm seasons.
The Interceptor 007, developed by The Ocean Cleanup, a Netherlands-based nonprofit, is part of a larger effort to tackle river pollution. During the pilot phase, it protected Santa Monica Bay's beaches by drastically reducing the amount of trash that typically flows from Ballona Creek into the ocean.
Upgrades are planned for the interceptor, including additional solar panels and enhanced battery storage before it is redeployed ahead of the next storm season.
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