ST. PETERSBURG, Fla — When you head out to the beach the hope is to be able to stick your feet in the sand while enjoying the sun and the water. It's not to find trash like cigarette butts and bottle caps littering the shoreline.
That's where "BeBot" rolls in. The robot sifts through sand, sorting out large items. Keep Pinellas Beautiful said hundreds of thousands of pounds of debris is removed from the beaches each year by volunteers and affiliate crews.
Bebot will add to that effort, combing through the beaches to keep them clean. The robot is courtesy of Surfing’s Evolution & Preservation Foundation, an organization funded by the Endless Summer Florida license plate.
Keep Florida Beautiful said it is the first U.S. nonprofit to use this new technology to remove debris from the beaches, all while raising awareness about the importance of keeping the beaches clean.
The electric robot is remote-controlled. It sifts through the sand at the surface level to collect debris as small as one centimeter. This includes things meant to stay on the beach, like shells. Keep Pinellas Beautiful says the debris has to be sorted through to return shells and other items meant to stay in the sand.
“Not only is BeBot removing some of the most littered items on the beach — cigarette butts, bottle caps, etc. — but it is also attracting the attention of beachgoers, providing an opportunity to educate the public on marine debris and litter prevention. It’s a great way to spread awareness on a global issue,” said Keep Florida Beautiful Executive Director, Savanna Christy.
BeBot will be traveling around the state assisting coastal affiliates in keeping Florida beautiful and educating residents and visitors along the way. The robot is expected to arrive in Pinellas County in July of 2022.
