​Mayor Kapszukiewicz Announced Installation of Two Large Trash Traps and Highlighted Upcoming Earth Week Events

Wednesday, April 13, 2022

In honor of Earth Day 2022’s theme “Invest in Our Planet,” Mayor Wade Kapszukiewicz announced the installation of two Brute Bin trash traps in the Ottawa River as part of the 2020 Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI) Trash Free Waters Program. The US EPA grant was approximately $414,000 for the installation of seven trash traps in total.

One trash trap was placed at Stickney Ave. and Matzinger Road on April 12, 2022 and the other was placed in March 2022 in downtown Toledo where Swan Creek flows into the Maumee River.The goal is to remove thousands of pounds of trash, which includes metal cans, plastic, wax paper and foam containers from the waterways leading to Lake Erie. Trash is not just unsightly, it is also harmful to aquatic wildlife and a carrier of toxic pollutants from entering Lake Erie, our drinking water source.

Trash traps are a proven technology. Last year one small City of Toledo trap captured over 155 lbs of trash within the four months it was in the water. Over 270 plastic bottles were captured in a two-week period between cleanings in October 2021.

A Brute Bin measures 8 ft in width and is 20 feet long. It has floating booms in front of it to direct trash into the trap. It is anticipated that the traps will be cleaned every other week and after major rainfalls. There will be additional smaller traps installed soon.

“As good stewards of our environment, we take pride in serving the greater Toledo area through community outreach initiatives and projects such as these which protect our waterways,” Mayor Kapszukiewicz said.

“Thanks to the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, we are making investments to protect our waterways and protect Lake Erie,” U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown said.

“Toledo’s installation of trash traps in key waterways that empty into the lake supports our local tourism economy by keeping our waterways healthy. This award ensures the continued renewal and protection of Lake Erie and its tributaries for years to come.”

To see a map of trash trap locations and for more information go to:

toledo.oh.gov/trash-trap

Urban Beautification Commissioner Dennis Kennedy was on hand to highlight Clean Toledo 24 Refuse and Recycling drop-off events throughout the city this year. The inaugural event will be on Saturday April 23 at The Toledo Zoo from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

For a schedule of Clean Toledo free drop off refuse and recycling events go to:

toledo.oh.gov/trash-recycling

To round out the “Invest in Our Planet” activities, Mayor Kapszukiewicz challenged residents to join the City of Toledo Parks and Recreation Youth Advisory Board for an Earth Day clean-up at four of our city parks on April 23, 2022.

For more information and to register go to:

toledo.oh.gov/earth-day

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