The Grapevine

摘要

"Many Member states are still landfilling huge amounts of municipal waste - the worst waste management option - despite better alternatives, and despite structural funds being available to finance better options." EU environment commissioner, Janez Potocnik, on the findings of the Commission's report on member states' municipal waste management. A Robot designed to reduce the amount of waste in our oceans could soon be set to work. The underwater drone - named 1-001-1 - is designed to suck plastic bottles and other waste into its body and, when full, it will "dock" with its mothership where crew members will empty it and send it back out to do its duty. A sonic emitter will deter wildlife from becoming too curious about their new underwater companion, meaning that plastic islands, such as that known as the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, could be a thing of the past.