DOLPHIN, POSSIBLY THE MOTHER, WOULD COME BACK BUT THAT WASN’T THE CASE SO THEY WERE TAKEN TO A
SANCTUARY FOR CARE.
>>> SCREENS TO HELP REDUCE ALL
OF THE STREET LITTER THAT’S THE
POLLUTING BISCAYNE BAY.
>> AND MIAMI IS NOT THE ONLY
LOCAL NEWS GOING TO TECH TO TRY
TO HELP THE PROBLEM.
THIS IS WHAT THE SHORES OF
BISCAYNE BAY LOOK EVERY TIME WE
HAVE A HEAVY RAIN.
>> Reporter: THESE VIDEOS TAKEN
JUST LAST MONTH BY VOLUNTEERS TO
CLEAN THAT UP.
POUNDS AND POUNDS OF STREET
LITTER, TRASH, PEOPLE THROW ON
THE THE STREET NO MATTER WHERE
THEY ARE IN MIAMI-DADE COUNTY
THAT GETS SWEPT UP INTO OUR
STORM DRAINS THAT EMPTY OUT INTO
OUR CANALS THAT OUTFLOW INTO OUR
DYING BAY.
>> THE TRASH COULD NEVER MAKE IT
TO THE STREET IN THE FIRST PLACE
AND YOU I THINK IT’S IMPORTANT
TO EDUCATE THE PUBLIC AS MUCH AS
WE CAN.
>> Reporter: AMELIO LOPEZ IS ON
THE FRONT LINES OF SOUTH
FLORIDA’S WAR ON TRASH.
WE INTRODUCED YOU TO HIM LAST
YEAR WHEN HIS COMPANY WAS
MEASURING THE CURB INLET’SES IN
SOUTHWEST MIAMI WITH HIGH TECH
SCREENS DESIGNED TO TRAP ALL THE
STREET LITTER BEFORE IT ENTERS
THE STORM WATER SYSTEM.
>> IN THE CITY OF MIAMI WE
STARTED OFF IN DISTRICT 2, MORE
IN THE DOWNTOWN AREA.
SO THOSE WILL BE MONITORED JUST
LIKE THEY WERE ONCE FOR THE
PILOT PROJECT.
>> Reporter: THE CITY OF MIAMI
HAS ORDER 1,000 OF THESE SCREENS
TO HELP THE CITY MITIGATE THE
ENORMOUS AMOUNT OF STREET
LITTER, THE FIRST BATCH FINALLY
INSTALLED IN MAY.
>> SO WE’RE SEEING SOME GOOD
THINGS AND BAD THINGS, RIGHT.
SO WE’RE SEEING ACCUMULATION OF
TRASH, WHICH IS GOOD BECAUSE
THEY’RE DOING THEIR JOB, AND THE
BAD THING IS THAT WE’RE SEEING
TRASH.
>> THAT’S BECAUSE PEOPLE
CONTINUE TO LITTER.
NOW OUR CITY’S SPENDING TENS OF
THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS BECAUSE
SOME PEOPLE STILL HAVEN’T
LEARNED HOW TO USE A TRASH CAN.
>> THE NEXT STEP IS REALLY HOW
DO YOU ADDRESS THE ROOT OF THE
PROBLEM WHERE YOU HAVE A HOT
SPOT OF TRASH?
THOSE ARE THINGS THAT MIGHT TAKE
A LITTLE LONGER TO ADDRESS.
>> AND RESIDENTS WORRIED ABOUT
OUR POLLUTION PROBLEM ENGAGING
THEM TO BE PART OF THE SOLUTION.
>> IT INFORMS THE CITY AS TO
WHAT IT IS THAT THE PEOPLE ARE
SEEING IN SPECIFIC AREAS.
>> Reporter: IT’S IMPORTANT THE
CITY’S PUBLIC WORKS REMOVE THE
CLUTTER AS SOON AS POSSIBLE TO
PREVENT STREET FLOODING BUT
THESE NEW SCREENS ARE DESIGNED
FOR IS THAT VERY PURPOSE.
>> WHEN WE DESIGN THAT’S UNIQUE,
IT’S TO GET THE WATER THROUGH
THE SCREEN.
INSTEAD OF HAVING A FLAT PIECE
OF METAL THAT HAS CIRCLES IN IT,
THAT GOES VERY QUICKLY.
BUT THIS ALLOWS THE CITY HAVE
TIME TO COME BY AND SWEEP THE
STREET AND IN SOME CASES IF YOU
HAVE TO CLEAN A LITTLE BIT MORE,
THEY DO.
>> Reporter: AND THE SCREENS
HAVE A PROVEN TRACK RECORD.
WE WERE THERE WHEN HALLANDALE
BEACH INSTALLED THEM LAST
AUGUST.
>> THEY ARE WORKING.
I COULDN’T BE MORE THE EXCITED
ABOUT THEM.
OUR WATERWAYS HAVE BEEN REDUCED
WITH THE AMOUNT OF TRASH AND
LEADS AND DEBRIS NOW THAT HAS
DROPPED TREMENDOUSLY.
>> Reporter: AND RESIDENTS ARE
NOTICING.
>> YOU ARE GOOD PEOPLE.
>> WHY ARE YOU SAYING THAT.
>> BECAUSE KEEPING OUR CITY
CLEAN.
SEE THE DUCKS.
>> THE DUCKS WERE NOT THERE
BEFORE?
>> NO.
>> SO YOU’RE SEEING WILDLIFE
THERE NOW?
>> ABSOLUTELY.
>> IT’S ALSO SAVING THE CITY OF
HALLANDALE BEACH BIG MONEY BY
HELPING PUBLIC WORKS MANAGE
THEIR STREET LITTER MORE
EFFICIENTLY.
>> NOW SINCE WE’VE IMPLEMENTED
THE STORM WATER FILTERS, OUR
STREET SWEEPER CAN CLEAN UP ALL
OF THE GLICK ALL OF THE TRASH
THAT WAS IN THE ROAD AND THIS
WAY WE CAN ALLOCATE THE OTHER
WORKERS IN OTHER PART THROUGHOUT
THE CITY TO MAINTAIN OUR WASTE.
>> Reporter: AND MOST COASTAL
CITIES IN SOUTH FLORIDA WILL
ALSO STEP UP.
.
>> AND THAT’S HOW YOU BRING IT
BACK.
EVERYBODY HAS A HUGE ABILITY TO
MAKE AN IMPACT.
>> EVERYONE CAN MAKE AN IMPACT.
THE NEXT BATCH OF 200 SCREENS
WILL BE INSTALLED IN THE CITY OF
MIAMI BY THE END OF THE SUMMER.
NORTH BAY VILLAGE ALSO ORDERING
ABOUT 50 SCREENS FOR THE STORM
WATER INLET’SES.
THE SCREENS BY THE WAY, ARE NOT
CHEAP, COSTING ANYWHERE FROM
$350 TO $1,000 FOR EACH SCREEN
DEPENDING ON THE SIZE.
THAT IS THE PRICE OUR CITIES NO
YOU HAVE TO PAY BECAUSE SOME
PEOPLE WOULD STILL RATHER TOSS
THEIR TRASH ON THE STREET OR OUT