Leeuwarden deploys CanalCleaner devices to combat plastic pollution

As part of the ‘Gjin plestik nei ús Waad’ project, two CanalCleaner devices have been deployed in Leeuwarden at the Noorderbrug and Eebrug to collect floating waste and monitor the types of plastic entering the Frisian water system.

The CanalCleaners act as smart waste traps, using water currents to direct debris into collection containers. The system also monitors the quantity and variety of waste, providing data to help researchers and authorities identify pollution sources and implement effective measures to prevent plastic from reaching the Wadden Sea.

This initiative coincides with the conclusion of the ‘Elfdatapunten Tocht’, a five-day, 160-kilometer paddle tour through Friesland by Rinze de Vries of Noria and Merijn Tinga, known as the Plastic Soup Surfer. The tour visited eleven specific data points to map both visible litter and microplastics using tools such as smart cameras and GPS tracers. The journey concluded in Leeuwarden on September 22, highlighting the need for data-driven solutions to address pollution at its source.