A new robotic shark called WasteShark is being used in the River Thames to collect plastic waste as part of efforts to tackle water pollution. The electric shark is the first marine robot in London and can collect up to 1,100lbs of waste per day, equivalent to 22,700 plastic bottles. It is expected to be able to travel 3.1 miles (5km) of water before needing to be recharged. The device will collect data on water quality in the Thames as well as rubbish. The initiative comes at a time when global plastic waste has almost doubled since 2000, with only 9% of it successfully recycled.
Photo Credit: Gerald Schömbs
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