Watch 'first of its kind' litter-eating ‘shark’ cleaning waterways in Leeds city centre

Inspired by a whale shark and using cutting-edge technology from the Netherlands, Yorkshire Design Group and partners launched Wasteshark on Leeds Waterfront yesterday (Thursday, July 4). 

The drone, which is powered by electric motors, can scoop up to 500kg of waste from the surface of the water per day as it swims along. 

The idea was generated by the Leeds Waterfront Group, a sub-group of the West & North Yorkshire Chamber of Commerce’s Property and Economic Forum.

Keep your finger on the pulse of the city with the Yorkshire Evening Post’s daily newsletter, covering breaking news stories and all of the biggest headlines from Leeds.

Chairman Paul Ellison said: “We are very pleased to have put this innovative project together with support from local businesses as well as Leeds City Council and Leeds Civic Trust. 

“We’re confident that it will generate real benefits to the city and also draw attention to the need to keep our waterways clean and attractive for all to enjoy”

The project is also the first of its kind to systematically record the volume and types of waste collected, and the very first use of this technology to be approved by the Canal Rivers Trust on its UK waterways. 

Partnering with social enterprise Canal Connections means this is the first use of this device to bring both environmental and social benefits. Watch the video above to see the Wasteshark in action in Leeds.