A Buffalo Rising reader has asked that the City, the ECHDC, or anyone else with political pull, consider bringing Mr Trash Wheel to Buffalo. The invention is simply a watermill with conveyor belt that siphons trash out of waterways similar to the Buffalo River. The trash wheel is gaining a lot of traction in other cities, not only for its ability to pull trash and debris from waterways, but also for its power of attraction. People love seeing the giant wheel in motion. The wheel actually becomes part of a waterfront’s overall attraction, drawing people to see the contraption in action. It’s become a symbol of cities’ efforts to keep their waterfronts clean and clear from unsightly and troublesome natural and manmade debris.
“Many other Cities are getting them,” mentioned the BRO reader. “The trash is burned to heat city homes. Lately it’s gotten a lot of attention and we should try and turn that into our own Trash Wheel. With the River becoming a big deal it’s time to clean it up – each pocket accumulates debris, we’ve seen it at Mutual Park, Ohio Street/Dead Mans Creek, Commercial Slip, etc. Clearwater Mills is the company that makes them. It’s time to revisit Mr. Trash Wheel.
See this article where Mr Trash Wheel removed 4,000,000 cigarette butts from the Baltimore waterfront.
Photo: Clearwater Mills on Facebook