Mr. Trash Wheel, a beloved fixture in Baltimore, is playing a crucial role in making the city’s waterfront cleaner and more attractive by capturing floating garbage along the waterways.
One of Baltimore’s most prominent figures carries out the ordinary task of cleaning the city’s waterways. It’s precisely this everyday job that has earned him widespread fame in Baltimore.
Meet Mr. Trash Wheel, a colossal garbage interceptor that tirelessly labors to rid the Jones Falls stream in Baltimore’s Inner Harbor of waste. With his cavernous mouth, he’s captured the affection of locals and visitors alike by enhancing the treasured waterfront of Maryland’s largest city. Beyond city limits, he’s also making a significant impact by preventing trash from reaching the Chesapeake Bay and the Atlantic Ocean.
John Kellet, the creator of the original Mr. Trash Wheel, is the founder of Clearwater Mills, a locally owned and operated logistics company based in Baltimore. He said he got the idea for the wheel after being dismayed at the glut of trash he witnessed flowing into the harbor after it rained.
“There should be a way to stop this trash before it spreads out,” he said. “I did some research to see if there was anything out there to tackle that job, and I found nothing.” So he decided to try to build something.
The issue that caught Kellet’s attention extends far beyond Baltimore. Our world is grappling with a plastic pollution crisis. Recognizing that the mouth of the primary river feeding the harbor was the most strategic spot to combat this problem, Kellet sketched his concept on a napkin and created a small working prototype.
And with that, the journey began. Since Mr. Trash Wheel’s introduction, it has successfully intercepted over 3 million pounds of trash. This effort has not only enhanced the cleanliness and beauty of the harbor but has also improved the quality of life for local wildlife and waterfront businesses.
Baltimore now hosts four different trash-intercepting wheels, and more are poised to contribute to cleaner cities worldwide.
Mr. Trash Wheel gobbles garbage all the live-long day (CNET)
Mr Trash in action (drone footage)
A simple technology that works
The Trash Wheels employ a simple yet effective technology: a large water mill, turned by the river’s flow, powers a system of pulleys, a conveyor belt, and a series of rakes. These components work in unison to collect floating debris as it travels downstream.
Additionally, Mr. Trash Wheel features two long floating buoys that capture surface-level garbage and direct it into its open mouth. The collected trash is then transported up the conveyor belt and deposited into a large dumpster. This process is facilitated by a small crew that empties the floating dumpsters when they become full.
The water mill is primarily powered by the river’s currents, which keep the wheel turning. To ensure continuous operation, the Trash Wheels are equipped with solar panels and batteries, which come into play during periods when the river’s flow is insufficient.
What’s more, Kellet can remotely activate pumps from his smartphone to supply water to the wheel, preventing it from stopping and allowing it to continuously ingest garbage. Mr. Trash Wheel is also equipped with an internet connection, enabling Kellet to monitor the vessel through a webcam and take necessary actions if any issues arise.
Using the power of nature to clean the oceans
Mr. Trash Wheel is a semi-autonomous trash interceptor that is placed at the end of a river, stream or other outfall.
Far too lazy to chase trash around the ocean, Mr. Trash Wheel stays put and waits for the waste to flow to him.
Sustainably powered and built to withstand the biggest storms, Mr. Trash Wheel uses a unique blend of solar and hydro power to pull hundreds of tons of trash out of the water each year.
1. Funnel the trash
Using containment booms, trash flowing down the river is funneled into Mr. Trash Wheel’s gaping mouth.
The booms have a 2-foot skirt that allows them to capture trash floating beneath the surface.
Fun fact: The trash booms also help stop oil slicks from polluting the water.
2. Rake and convey
Powered by the sun and the current of the river, Mr. Trash Wheel’s rake lifts litter out of the water and onto his conveyor belt.
The conveyor belt moves very slowly but is strong enough to lift anything that comes down the river including tires, mattress, and even trees.
3. Feel the churn
Mr. Trash Wheel’s giant, 14-foot, water wheel is the engine that powers his rakes and conveyor.
When there’s not enough water current, solar panels power pumps that pump water on to the wheel to keep it churning.
Fun fact: Mr. Trash Wheel can operate in tidal waterways, which means he keeps churning even if the river is flowing upstream!
4. Into the dumpster
When trash reaches the top of the conveyor belt it falls into a dumpster sitting on a separate floating barge.
Once the dumpster fills it is towed away and replaced with an empty dumpster.
Ideally, the plastic Mr. Trash Wheel picks up gets recycled, but current sorting technologies are unable to separate the plastics from all the other trash. For the time being, the best alternative is to incinerate the trash to create electricity.
The companies who made Mr. Trash Wheel possible
Investment and construction
Ownership and maintenance
Waterfront Partnership of Baltimore
Trash disposal
Baltimore City Department of Public Works
Funded by
Maryland Port Administration and Constellation
Additional funding
Brown Advisory, The Abell Foundation, and Marriott Hotels
Design architect
Source: Mr Trash Wheel
