Rio de Janeiro, vibrant seaside metropolis in Brazil, one of the most visited cities in the Southern Hemisphere, well known for its cultural diversity, natural settings, iconic beaches including Copacabana, Ipanema, Leblon and Tijuca, samba, bossanova, outstanding landmarks and its emblematic carnival, through its authorities has launched a unique environmental project with the installation of barriers to combat pollution in Guanabara Bay.
The bay faces the western shores of Rio and Duque de Caixas, and the eastern shore of the cities of Niterói and São Gonçalo, a natural wonder stretching over 412 square kilometres, Brazil’s second - largest bay by area and holding the title of the largest by volume.
On Ilha do Fundão (Fundão Island), an artificial island north of Rio in Guanabara Bay, formed by merging smaller islands with landfills developed to house the main campus of the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ) facing Bom Jesus Bay, devices were installed to absorb oil pollution and collect waste, as reported by Agência Brasil, a nationwide public news agency headquartered in Brasilia and run by the Brazilian government.
The initiative is led by two Brazilian non - profit organizations and is supported by a local environmental conservation fund.
The system works as a floating barrier approximately 300 metres long has been incorporated with special devices composed of rolls of human hair wrapped in a cotton mesh. An organization that hair to make wigs donated some of the material that is not used in production and would otherwise be discarded.
Studies showed the high effectiveness of the material: 1 gram of hair can absorb, on average, 5 grams of oil.
Previously, the barrier was only used to collect common garbage, but now it also absorbs oil pollution, a major initiative that represents an important step in protecting local mangroves.
The protection of mangrove ecosystems has a strategic value for the sustainability of Guanabara Bay. Mangroves reduce wave force, protect the coast from erosion and the impact of extreme events, play a key role in carbon absorption, and sustain the region’s biodiversity.
Over the
past year, the project has gone through a cycle of testing. Specialists adapted
the technology to the specific conditions of Guanabara Bay and perfected the
design of the barriers.
One of the participants in the project, Caroline Carvalho said that after a
long road since the transformation of the idea into a real project, the result
is that is possible to combine science, sustainable development and social
effect.
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