OMNI Delta

Let’s prevent ocean-bound waste!
Community involved design for river and tetrapod cleaning

What OMNI Delta?

Studies suggest that plastics accumulate on land and in rivers, forming a long-term source of marine litter even if the primary source of mismanaged plastic waste is resolved. Around 80% of marine litter originates from the land, much of which accumulates in rivers and is eventually transported to the ocean.

In addition, in Japan specifically, around 30% of the mainland coastline is covered by concrete tetrapods, designed to minimize coastal erosion by dissipating the power of waves and currents. Due to their large size and interlocking structure, the deep crevasses in between tetrapods is the perfect place for plastic to accumulate. Cleaning these areas is an important part to reducing marine litter, but both rivers and tetrapods tend to be difficult to access and clean.

OMNI Delta is a project that encourages people to engage with and participate in marine litter reduction strategies by making river and tetrapod cleaning more approachable. With supervision from local stakeholders, we are working on design interventions to address these issues and make the activity more accessible.

Tool Development

We are developing tools that can be used in river and tetrapod cleaning.

Tool Prototypes

Beak

With its long and narrow shape, the beak is designed to easily extract litter from hard-to-reach places, such as deep in the river or between tetrapods.

Marker

The marker is a lightweight buoy designed to warn participants about dangerous or restricted areas in the river. It can be placed above deep or unstable areas to act as a warning.

Bag Holder

The bag holder helps keep the mouth of the bag open, making it easier to place litter inside. On top of that, a strap also allows for easy carrying and weight distribution.

Guideline

This guideline teaches participants how to conduct a river clean. It guides the participants through the entire experience, detailing instructions and tips for before, during, and after the clean-up.