Establishing Canada’s first Ocean Plastic Depot in partnership with the Ocean Legacy Foundation was a monumental milestone!
Our team was chosen to execute the establishment of this first depot because of our attention to detail, commitment to promoting shoreline cleanup initiatives and our diligent project management skills.
Installation of the Ocean Plastic Depot was made possible through funding from Fisheries and Oceans Canada and serves the qathet region as an educational outlet and consolidation hub for select marine debris. This satellite depot aims to divert marine debris from landfill, encourages local reuse and sends collated material off to be recycled into durable, long lasting new plastic products.
Collection and diversion of marine debris is a specialty focus for our team.
Project partners of the Clean Coast Clean Waters Initiative
We have been leading remote and complex shoreline cleanup projects since the inception of the province’s Clean Coast Clean Waters Initiative 2021. Over the course of 3 years, our team has managed large-scale shoreline cleanup projects in and around the Salish Sea, collecting over 200,000kg of material.
You may have caught a glimpse of our most famous cleanup featured on CBC.
We generally operate with 10-12 person crew with one or two vessels. We aim to collect ~15,000kg per 10 field days with a 65% diversion target. Each season, we surpass our goals.
Connecting with the People
Tracking marine debris takes us to breathtaking locations. Connecting with the Indigenous and local people of each region and territory is a priority for our team wherever we work.
We aim for diversion
Priorities that guide our end-of-life management workplans:
- Local reuse in responsible applications (see upcycled rope woven into a floor mat below!)
- Dismantling large, challenging and multi-material items for diversion
- Recycling
- Disposal as the last option
To avoid landfilling, our team spent a few extra days dismantling these concrete floats to separate out the foam for recycling and the concrete for rubble, which will be reused locally, resulting in a close to zero waste project.
Through our expertise and commitment, our team successfully managed and operated the qathet regional depot from 2021 through to then end of 2023, recruiting over 200 members and diverting upwards of 300,000kg of marine debris for recycling and local resuse.
