TAMPA, Fla. — Two years and more than 72,000 pounds of trash later, Tampa city leaders are still celebrating the success of its "Litter Skimmer."
Launched in 2022, the Litter Skimmer has been collecting trash that has made its way into Tampa's waterways, including the Hillsborough River and Tampa Bay. According to the city, in those two years since its launch, the Litter Skimmer has collected more than 72,500 pounds of trash.
That amount of trash surpasses the weight of a fully loaded 20-foot shipping container, the city said.
City leaders say the Litter Skimmer is an "effective tool" used to preserve "the natural beauty" of Tampa's waterways and help protect marine wildlife.
The Litter Skimmer is a 43-foot boat that operates ten hours a day, four days a week. The trash-collecting boat skims the Hillsborough River, Davis Islands and Tampa Bay and collects floating debris "before it can harm the environment."
Over the first year of its operation, the city says the Litter Skimmer collected more than 26,500 pounds of garbage. Over the last year, the skimmer has nearly doubled the amount of trash taken from the Bay area's waterways.
The Litter Skimmer has found a lot of trash since it began operating, from common litter including plastic bags and bottles to more "unusual" objects. One of those more "surprising" finds was a 12-foot buoy bumper from a large ship. It was later donated to the American Victory Ship and Museum, a World War II vessel docked near the Florida Aquarium.
Other less common litter items found in Tampa's waterways include various indoor and lawn furniture.
The Litter Skimmer is part of Tampa's broader campaign "Keep It Clean Tampa," a citywide initiative to educate people on proper litter disposal to keep trash from entering the waterways.
“Tampa's waterways are an invaluable resource, and we are committed to protecting them,” Mayor Jane Castor said in a statement. “The Litter Skimmer has made a significant impact over the past two years, but keeping our city clean is a team effort. I encourage all residents to do their part by properly disposing of their trash and participating in our cleanup efforts."