SIMPLE POLLUTION SOLUTION

Drainage Nets that Act as Trash Traps

The Australian city of Kwinana used a simple and cost-effective solution to deal with the discharge of waste from drainage systems. The town put nets on the outlet of drainage pipes.

These nets, also called “drain socks” stop waste and pollutants from leaving the sewers, preventing garbage transported by rain waters from contaminating the town’s local water reserve. It is a simple filtering system and it works like a charm. Waste collected by the drainage nets included leaves, sand, plastic bottles, cans, rubber balls, even keys.

The city reported that in just 6 months it collected 370 kilograms (815 pounds) of garbage from 2 locations where the nets were installed. The collected debris was separated and all recyclable materials were taken to a recycling centre which processes biodegradable waste and turns it into fertiliser.

The initiative made social media headlines after images of the drainage nets went viral in April 2018. Since then, Kwinana has been inundated with phone calls and emails worldwide to find out more about this simple, yet effective solution to minimise the city’s environmental impact on the drainage network.

(Photos from City of Kwinana)