Floating in Rotterdam harbour in the Netherlands is a public park made entirely from recycled plastic.
The Recycled Park which debuted earlier this month is made from floating debris collected from the rivers and ports in Rotterdam.
“The aim of this iconic Recycled Park is to illustrate that recycled plastic from the open waters is a valuable material and suitable for recycling.” – Recycled Island Foundation
Litter Traps
The unique floating park also serves a practical purpose stopping plastics from the city before they make their way towards the ocean. The Recycled Island Foundation have developed three passive Litter Traps to efficiently take the plastics from the New Meuse. The Litter Traps catch the plastics by using the existing stream of the river to keep the plastics inside even when the direction of the stream turns.
“The water is in many cities the lowest point, resulting in the unfortunate accumulation of litter in our rivers. When we retrieve the plastics directly in our cities and ports we actively prevent the further growth of the plastic soup in our seas and oceans. Rotterdam can set an example for port cities every where in the world. The realization of the building blocks in recycled plastics is an important step towards a litter free river”. – Ramon Knoester of the Recycled Island Foundation
The hexagonal design means the park can continue to expand as more plastic is collected. The design also acts as a wildlife habitat for small fauna such as ducks, snails and fish to help stimulate the ecology in the Rotterdam harbour.
