HIPPO, Thailand

HIPPO, Thailand

Story

Thailand is one of top 10 polluters in the world when it comes to ocean plastics. The Chao Phraya River ranks 1st in the country, and 15th globally, as a plastic-emitting waterway. It transports around 4 million kg of riverine plastic annually, raising serious concerns about microplastic pollution in its surface and sediment.

Given the success in Indonesia, we have expanded our presence to Thailand, addressing plastic stemming from the country's longest river.

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Chao Phraya River plays a crucial role in providing for the lives of an estimated 13 million people. It courses through the heart of Siam, encompassing Bangkok, Nonthaburi, and Samut Prakan. Plastic waste often finds its way, contributing to environmental degradation, including river pollution.

While we acknowledge the impact of stopping riverine plastic, we realise that there are unique complexities and financial costs. We developed the HIPPO (High Impact Plastic Pollution remOval) - our automatic, solar-powered, and scalable vessel - to collect riverine plastic at scale.

It is an initiative made possible thanks to our philanthropic partners (ECCA Family Foundation, Howden Foundation, Marina Bay Sands, Thai Union, and BW LPG) and plastic credits.

This effort further enhances the development of circular solutions, from prevention through to sorting and recycling, hence maintaining a closed-loop.

We work with multiple government stakeholders, and previously with the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) as an implementation partner overseeing the successful execution in the local market. We established a strong partnership with Wat Chak Daeng, a Thai Buddhist temple renowned for pioneering plastic waste and recycling initiatives.

Together, we aspire to scale and elevate innovative waste management projects towards a cleaner, more sustainable future.

If your organisation would like to work with us, please get in touch via the form below.

How it works

High Impact Plastic Pollution remOver (HIPPO)

HIPPO, Thailand

1
Target
  • The Chao Phraya River, Thailand’s largest and significant waterways, sustains the livelihood of 13 million people through food security, agriculture, fishery, transportation, and cultural activities.
  • Annually, the river transports 4,000,000 million kg of riverine plastic into the ocean.

2
Interception
  • The HIPPO recovers plastic pollution from river systems before it reaches the ocean.
  • It is located in an intertidal zone by the riverbank at the side of Wat Chak Daeng temple.

3
Collection
  • The HIPPO is designed as a single boom that conveys the floating debris towards the vessel, collected automatically with the solar-powered conveyor.
  • Seven Clean Seas crews unload the collected plastic from the HIPPO to be transferred for sorting and recycling.

4
MRF
  • Seven Clean Seas advances its ability to sort and treat plastic waste adequately, separating recyclables from non-recyclables.
  • We turn recyclables into products (e.g., furniture) and turn widely non-recyclable plastic, such as multilayered plastic, into building products like bricks and roof tiles.

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