Floating trash bin installed in Halifax, making its Canadian debut

An innovative device that cleans trash from the surface of the ocean has been installed at a yacht club in Halifax.

The makers of the V5 Seabin say it was placed in the water at the Royal Nova Scotia Yacht Squadron on Tuesday — making its Canadian debut.

Powered by a small submersible water pump, the floating bin siphons water from the surface and passes it through a catch bag inside.

The water is then pumped back into the marina, leaving the litter trapped in the catch bag to be disposed of properly.

The company says the device can catch about 1.5 kilograms of floating debris per day, and one of the most common items it traps is cigarette butts.

Along with Halifax, the V5 Seabin can also be found in Bermuda and the Cayman Islands.

The Seabin Project started in 2015 as a crowdfunding campaign and was tested as part of a pilot project at marinas in Bermuda, the U.S., Finland, Spain and France.