Keeping Tampa Bay's Waterways Clean and Safe
"Litter Skimmer" by the City of Tampa's Solid Waste Department will operate eight hours a day, four days per week, picking up floating trash along the Hillsborough River, Davis Islands, and the Bay.
According to the Ocean Conservancy, the top contributor to marine debris is single-use, or disposable, plastic products, including container caps and lids, beverage bottles, plastic bags, food wrappers, cups, plates, cutlery, and drinking straws. Single-use plastic utensils and containers threaten marine environments because they do not fully break down or decompose.
When littered or caught by the wind, these items get washed into stormwater drains that empty into streams, rivers, bays, and other waterways.