Mysterious floating islands help clean up water across the country

By on September 29, 2011


Concerned with the water quality around his Montana property, Bruce Kania created Floating Island International, a company that designs floating islands made from recycled plastic bottles buoyed with marine foam used to help clean up ponds.

The islands, which have been installed from Canada to Minnesota, cost about $32 per square foot to produce and have two roles: to help filter out some of the pollutants in the runoff water and to lower the temperature of the water. The roots of each plant on the floating treatment wetlands hang down into the water, and many of the pollutants adhere to the roots.

Recently, the floating plants have been spotted in a Brampton, Ontario pond. According to the press, “each of the islands float in a storm-water pond operated by Credit Valley Conservation, the local environmental authority, which catches runoff from the streets, lawns and parking lots of Brampton.” Additionally, Eco-Learning Centre programmer, Jaime Carnevale, said the islands provide a habitat for wildlife on its surface, and for marine life in the root system underneath. And depending on the results and success of the islands, the authority may install more floating wetlands treatment this fall or early next spring in the Brampton area.

Read the complete story at The Globe and Mail.

 

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