The Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) has teamed up with Keep the Tennessee River Beautiful (KTNRB) and other partners to “establish a network of Seabin automated litter and debris removal devices across the Tennessee River watershed,” according to a press release by the department.
The Seabin device, a product out of Australia, “works 24/7 to collect marine debris from the surface of the water, much like a pool skimmer that’s electrically operated,” according to KTNRB. Each device has the potential to remove up to 3,000 lbs. of marine debris a year and will also filter out gasoline, oils, and microplastics from the water.
A demonstration of the Seabin device and announcement of the new network was made in Chattanooga Tuesday morning.
Happy 🌎 World Water Day! We couldn't think of a better way to celebrate than with the press conference in Chattanooga announcing that the Tennessee River watershed will very soon have the largest Seabin network on any river system in the world! pic.twitter.com/JvTtdjW7fV
— TNRiverBeautiful (@TnRvrBeautiful) March 22, 2022
The 17-Seabin deployment will be the world’s largest network of such devices in a river system, according to the press release.
The network was made possible through grants from TDOT and Keep America Beautiful (KAB). TDOT’s contribution “includes the purchase and installation of 10 devices at locations throughout Tennessee, as well as funding for two years of water-based cleanups of the river and its tributaries within the state.” The grant was made in conjunction with the department’s Nobody Trashes Tennessee litter prevention campaign.
In addition to the Tennessee Seabins, two devices will be installed on the Tennessee River in Alabama, and another will be deployed on a tributary in North Carolina. The Seabin network features the following locations:
- Tellico Marina & Lake in Vonore, Tenn.
- Louisville Landing Marina in Louisville, Tenn.
- Volunteer Landing Marina in Knoxville, Tenn.
- Tennessee Aquarium in Chattanooga, Tenn.
- Harrison Bay State Park in Soddy Daisy, Tenn.
- Pickwick Landing State Park in Hardin County, Tenn.
- Paris Landing State Park in Henry County, Tenn.
- Lake Ocoee Inn & Marina in Benton, Tenn.
- Clifton RV & Marina in Clifton, Tenn.
- Fontana Village Resort & Marina in Fontana, N.C.
- Joe Wheeler State Park in Rogersville, Ala.
- Florence Harbor Marina in Florence, Ala.
KTNRB is continuing to work with stakeholders to identify the most impactful locations for five remaining Seabin devices, according to the organization. To have a device installed, hosts must provide electricity, regular maintenance, and track the quantity of litter collected, the organization notes.
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Kaitlin Housler is a reporter at The Tennessee Star and The Star News Network.
Photo “Tennessee River Clean Up” by TNRiverBeautiful.
What about urban/rural mass transit and more passenger rail service? We need that more than anything else!