Rijnhaven Rotterdam: from plastic waste to floating city park

 

The Audi Environmental Foundation is working together with CLEAR RIVERS to solve the problem of plastic pollution in the world's oceans. More than 98% of all plastic waste is in the first meter below the water level, most of it even in the first 50 cm.

 

This is how they did it: in rivers and harbours, floating basins ensure that plastic is caught and does not end up in the sea. This plastic is collected in nets. The specially designed collecting basins ensure that even strong waves can no longer take the plastic out to sea. The collected plastic waste is then pressed, welded and 3D printed into hexagonal floating islands.

The archipelago in Rotterdam consists of floating and planted individual islands. Each of the interconnected islands has a surface of 5m2. The total area is 140m2. Each individual island can be planted with moss or even tall trees. Most of the islands (modules) have an open structure, which gives plants more than enough space for their roots. The underwater tangle of roots acts as a nutrient source for aquatic animals and a home for algae as well as aquatic plants.

 

The islands improve the living environment of city residents as well as of the rivers and seas. The islands are easy to move and partly because of this can be put to use in a variety of ways: for lunch breaks for example, but also as a stage for performances.

The floating park in Rijnhaven, the first by Audi Environmental Foundation and CLEAR RIVERS was officially opened on Wednesday, July 5th 2018. Plans have been made to open additional floating parks in the Charleroi canal in Brussels and on the Indonesian island of Ambon.

 

 

Location: Rijnhaven