‘Seabin’ launched in Howth

A NEW initiative to remove plastic waste from the sea was launched in Howth last week.

The ‘Seabin’ is the brainchild of local man and marine enthusiast, Rowan Byrne, who used crowd funding to support the project. He also received sponsorship from his employer in the UK, Mott McDonald, along with the assistance of the Harbour Master in Howth, Harold McLoughlin.

Last week, the Seabin was placed in the water in Howth and it will then be maintained and emptied by the harbour authorities. The initiative is also supported by Howth Tidy Towns.

Harold McLoughlin, Howth Harbour Master, said: “Everyone knows just how important the sea and the marine life in there is to us. We hope this Seabin will have a big impact on the amount of rubbish floating around in the local area.”

Senator Catherine Noone (FG) has hailed the introduction of the Seabin in Howth Harbour as an example of what can be done around the country.

“This initiative highlights environmental measures that can be taken to immediately begin cleaning our environment of pollution,” she said. “The efforts of local people like Rowan, with the support of Harbour Master Harry McLoughlin, Howth Tidy Towns and crowd funding, demonstrate that we can all show leadership on climate change issues.”

Senator Noone added: “These initiatives also highlight the issues regarding environmentally beneficial products that are taxed at the full 23 percent of VAT. We should be doing everything we can to remove barriers to products that will help us tackle one of the biggest challenges our generation faces.”

“The Seabin removes litter and waste from the water and within minutes it was visibly working. This not only shows its effectiveness but also the scale of the problem we must combat. A wider rollout of such measures, with cooperation between Government and communities, can help us meet our climate responsibilities.”