A project in Rio de Janeiro seeks a sustainable solution to Brazil’s floating garbage in the sea

On World Oceans Day, a project in Rio de Janeiro has embarked on a sustainable approach to tackling floating rubbish that plagues Brazil’s coastal regions.

Spearheaded by the ‘Orla sem lixo’ (Trash-free Shore) project, the initiative began its journey on a beach within Guanabara Bay.

As one of Rio’s most iconic yet polluted spots, the bay, surrounded by the majority of Rio’s metropolitan municipalities, endures around 80 tons of garbage daily, predominantly plastic, from its tributary rivers.

While there have been efforts to diminish the floating trash in the bay, their lack of sustainability and inadvertent environmental damage along the riverbanks have proved ineffective.

Commencing its pilot phase with a 200-meter containment barrier, this project aspires to a sustainable solution, as stated by the project coordinator, Susana Vinzon, an Argentinian.

By engaging the local community actively, Vinzon hopes to stimulate a circular economy that produces jobs and income and recycles waste back into the production chain.

“For environments like Guanabara Bay, we have a long-term objective, which includes incorporating the local fishing communities into a work and income model, ensuring this solution endures,” the Water Resources specialist and full professor at the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ) shared with EFE agency.

Almost 1,000 fishermen operate in Guanabara Bay, with 25 currently participating in the project, which could potentially expand to about 100.

‘Orla sem lixo’ believes their project can be replicated in other bays across Brazil.

For coastal dwellers, floating rubbish poses a direct threat to their subsistence, as it impedes fishing and aquatic sports activities.

Additionally, it jeopardizes navigation and air traffic by attracting birds, undermines the health and growth of mangroves, and negatively impacts marine life and its biodiversity.

While the project is underway, a team of marine biologists and coastal engineers will evaluate the impact—positive or negative—of the collection barrier and examine the influence of wind and tide on its functionality.

A second barrier is now in place on the banks of Guanabara Bay, augmenting an existing one currently operational in a smaller mangrove area.

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