PMO Ocean Sweeper

It had been established that the major source of plastic waste was first, the plastic refuse expelled by multiple river systems situated along the Davao coastline that drift towards the Island Garden City of Samal and litter its Shoreline. The second source of imported plastic waste are those transported to, and randomly disposed of on the island by, tourists visiting the island.

Ideally, a greater part of the solution to IGACOS’ shoreline plastic refuse problem would be stringent proper waste disposal imposed on the Davao City side of the channel. The more attainable practical solution is to install sock nets on the city’s sewage network to prevent plastic from being carried to the ocean by the river systems.

These measures take time to implement, so the solution with immediate impact is to contain floating garbage as they exit river systems during heavy rains. Among innovators, floating trash collectors mounted on catamaran platforms is a standard design. The PMO Ocean Sweeper is a “poor man’s version” of its sophisticated cousins but will accomplish the same task through indigenous, creative innovations.