Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors Chair Holly J. Mitchell is leading the charge to stop trash waste from being dumped into the ocean. On Oct. 22, Mitchell and LA County Public Works hosted an event to launch the Ballona Creek Trash Interceptor 007 Pilot Project with The Ocean Cleanup Founder and CEO Boyan Slat, and key community stakeholders.
The Trash Interceptor 007 is a fully automated, solar-powered trash collection device developed by The Ocean Cleanup, a Netherlands-based nonprofit.
“The Interceptor is a powerful addition to the County’s multi-pronged approach to prevent the trash from entering our waterways — which also includes banning single-use plastics and anti-littering awareness campaigns,” said Mitchell.
The Interceptor is a 73-foot-long catamaran with a removable barge that holds six collection bins for a combined 1,750 cubic feet of storage capacity. Its automated trash rack and conveyor-belt system run as smoothly and quietly as a common household appliance for an eco-friendly and efficient solution to harvesting waterborne trash.
“Protecting the region’s waterways from pollution is a responsibility we share with the public and cities across the region,” said Los Angeles County Public Works Director Mark Pestrella.“The Interceptor 007 is the latest innovation deployed by the county and its partner, The Ocean Cleanup, to protect our public health, beautiful coastline, and marine environments.”
