Plastic in the environment has become a circular problem. It’s wasteful during production, often has a limited life-cycle in single-use products and ends up in waterways and food supplies. That process brings microplastics right back to our table inside seafood and field-grown crops. Determined to battle the plastic problem, 4ocean and Poralu Marine have joined forces in the fight.
4ocean has a mission to aid in the elimination of plastic from oceans and coastlines. The business model allows them to support like-minded companies, support beach cleanups and donate to marine conservation. With this in mind, 4ocean partnered up with Poralu Marine in the launch of its beach cleaning robot, called BeBot.
“We are always searching for innovative technology to improve our cleanup capabilities and are thrilled to partner with Poralu Marine on introducing such an impactful piece of technology,” said Alex Schulze, 4ocean’s co-founder and CEO. “With the launch of the BeBot, we are able to work smarter and sustainably while recovering plastic that has already seen the ocean and preventing new plastic from ever getting there in the first place.”
Used daily, BeBot aids in the effort as it rolls along the sand via remote control, quietly picking up debris as it goes. Not only does it make beach cleanup much quicker than manual options, but it targets plastics in the design. The sifting grids filter out very small pieces of plastic that are difficult to separate by hand.
In contrast to larger machines that rely on gas, which pollutes the air, BeBot is electrically powered. Many machines currently used were adapted from other industries, but BeBot is made specifically for the sensitive ecology of beaches, so it protects plants and wildlife.
Claire Touvier, member of the Environmental Solutions team from Poralu Marine explains, “While traditional machines equipped with wheels were degrading the shoreline, BeBot has groundbreaking and unprecedented environmental assets. With a unique track system distributing equal and minimum pressure on the sand, BeBot reduces erosion. This innovative design also helps the preservation of biodiversity as it prevents the compression of turtles’ eggs and any vegetal ecosystem in the sand.”
4ocean and Poralu Marine present BeBot, the beach cleaning robot [Inhabitat]