Tamil Nadu: Interceptors developed in Netherlands to be used to eliminate plastic waste from rivers 

The state environment department intends to use interceptors created by The Ocean Cleanup, a Netherlands-based organization, to clean up plastic trash in rivers as part of the Rs 1,675 crore Tamil Nadu Coastal Restoration Mission for 14 coastal districts, including Chennai.

As per further information from the X handle of Additional Chief Secretary of Environment, Climate & Forests Department, Tamil Nadu, Supriya Sahu “Plastic trash interceptor could be a very effective intervention to prevent plastic getting into our rivers and oceans. The CM has just sanctioned the TN Coastal Restoration Mission for 14 coastal districts in TN at a cost of Rs 1675 Crores. We will work on several initiatives like plastic trash interceptors to prevent plastic pollution.”

The two booms that make up the plastic trash interceptor are located upstream and downstream.

The majority of the plastics and pressure are taken by the upstream boom. When severe floods occur, the downstream boom quickly accumulates trash and collects mixed plastics as a result of pressure buildup. The accumulated plastic will then be collected by excavators and brought to the coast for recycling and disposal.