Providence Trash Skimmer: The verdict

In April, PVD became the first capital in the nation to install a trash skimmer in the city’s harbor. Designed to filter the water of refuse, the apparatus is affixed to a floating dock in front of the Hot Club and picks-up trash as the current passes. And once the skimmer is filled and ready for a purge, the detritus is removed by interns or student groups on the shore.

But has it worked? The short answer is yes. Absolutely. And that is because the trash skimmer project is a tested and proven model. Since 2017, four trash skimmers in Newport and Portsmouth have collected more than 27,000 pounds of refuse, with each gathering up to 200 pounds of trash each day. PVD, by comparison, is collecting 150 pounds of trash per day, equating to more than 18,000 pounds in total since its launch. The difference that will make over the coming years is priceless.

But the skimmer is more than a big net on the end of an aluminum pole. The skimmer is shaped much like an ice chest. Inside, a high-end filtration and processing system traps and stops floating garbage. The skimmers also retain water, meaning that any fish that inadvertently swim into its cavernous belly can be released once the doors are opened.  Beautifully simple, yet remarkably effective; you couldn’t ask for more.

But it’s not just Li’l Rhody that is benefiting from the trash-fighting technology. The local skimmer initiative is a component of the larger Southeast New England Marina Trash Skimmer Project, a prevention and education effort to clean the region’s harbors and marinas over the coming decade. The project is run by Clean Ocean Access, which is funded by 11^th Hour Racing, a Newport-based firm that invests in ocean cleaning initiatives. In Rhode Island, skimmers have been installed across Narragansett Bay, including Barrington, Bristol and Jamestown.

And like all good clean-up initiatives, the skimmer project is also a community effort. According to an official release from 11^th Hour Racing, “skimmers will be located in highly visible and accessible sites of each community, to promote engagement of local students through educational programming, while the general public and tourists will be engaged through educational signage.” To that end, the goal of the skimmer project is threefold, “reduce the amount of marine debris entering local waterways in the region; bring awareness to the types of debris and potential sources; and promote environmental stewardship among both residents and tourists.”

Have you been stirred by and want to join the local cause? Visit cleanoceanaccess.org/action for details on how to support the skimmer project. Not ready to dive headfirst into the campaign? There are many everyday actions that can help our oceans. Say no to single use plastic straws or carry reusable bags to the store. Ask Dunkin not to wrap your iced-coffee in a Styrofoam cup. Small things go a long way in a place as intimate as RI, and together, we can ensure that the Ocean State remains the clean Ocean State for generations to come.