Republic of the Philippines

Bulacan State University

City of Malolos, Bulacan
Tel/Fax (044) 791 – 0153

FLITTRAP (Floating Litter Trap)

with Collecting System: A Critical Review

Aaron Choco S. De Guzman

Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering
eyrontsoko@gmail.com

Waterways play a vital role in the community and should be maintained clean and
uncongested. In the Philippines, waterways are highly used for irrigation. As the
Philippines is known to be a rice-producing country, these waterways are of great
help to farmers. A clean and uncongested waterway will also prevent flooding. On
the other hand, these waterways are being congested with garbage. People are
relentlessly disposing their waste on canals, which results in waterways being a pool
of litter. In response to this problem, the researchers (Renerose R. Distajo, Paul
Jonathan I. Bunag, Marvin V. Malinao, Bernard Luis C. Pagdanganan, Lorie Mae B.
Perez), Mechanical Engineering Department of Bulacan State University aim to
introduce a new and innovative way of collecting litter on waterways.

The main objective of the study is how to efficiently use the device called Floating
Litter Trap (FLITTRAP), a more sustainable and requires less manpower device that
uses different principles of strength of materials, machine design and buoyancy
force and pulley mechanism. This paper deals with exactly the subject, considering
the title of this research "FLITTRAP (Floating Litter Trap) with Collecting System".

The statement of purpose in the abstract aspires to innovate a Floating Litter Trap
and equip it with a lifting system to aid the existing problems in the conventional
way of collecting trash, which is the same as the introduction objective and with
that, all information in the introduction leads coherently to the purpose of the study.

The design and testing conducted on the device that was installed in a waterway at
barangay San Marcos, Calumpit, Bulacan, are valid for studying the problem. Aside
from the float test, the device is put through its paces in order to decide how long
it would take for it to reach its full load power, which is adequate to drastically
impact the results of this study. A strong experimental design increases the chances
of a successful experiment for the researcher.
The presented data in a diagram form of the actual testing is accurately described
with proper heading and the labels are in detail. The percentage of the submerged
and unsubmerged part of the device clearly shows that it is ready for comparison
and interpretation, but the review results as presented in the text referring to the
data in the diagrams are not discussed in detail and there are no calculations on how
the data is solved. Nonetheless, the stated objectives of the results reveal the intend
of the researchers. In the analysis and discussion of the testing result, the data was
logically interpreted, especially the float test proved that the materials used for the
floating device are effective. Besides that, the interpretation of the data is
supported by the other research cited in the paper.

The abstract of the study accurately summarizes the article. The headings and
paragraphing are organized and it is logically divided into paragraphs and the study
of the distinctive styles is addressed. The research makes a significant contribution
to human knowledge that can be used in solving an existing problem and promoting
an innovative mind to improve and discover new things. This study produces a
practical application, particularly in social and technological aspects. It is a great
contribution with an extensive impact on the community that can be applied to other
places in our country.

Addressing litter in our community necessitates the participation of the entire

community, from fast food restaurant owners to homeowners to public servants. The
most successful approach will investigate the lifecycle of litter in our community,
determining where it originates and how to intercept escaped trash as quickly and
efficiently as possible. Of course, this also entails working to change community
behavior by promoting initiatives to use fewer single-use materials, recycle more,
and ensure people properly dispose of trash. It also necessitates city-wide
commitments, ranging from businesses and parks providing appropriate trash
receptacles to local governments supporting garbage collection and recycling
systems that reduce litter in our communities.

The Floating Litter Trap with Collecting System is an effective tool for addressing
large-scale litter problems in our community. This device is not only effective at
removing and collecting litter, but it is also visible in the community, providing great
opportunities for education and awareness. However, this is not a long-term solution
and it should be viewed as one useful tool in our community's larger litter prevention
and collection toolbox.
References:

Floating Litter Trap is an innovation developed to solve marine waste. (2020, June).
Retrieved 29 March 2021, from
http://www.scgsustainability.com/en/sustainability/csr-activity-
en/floating-litter-trap-is-an-innovation-developed-to-solve-marine-waste/

Waste in our waters: a community toolkit for aquatic litter removal. (2019).
Retrieved 29 March 2021, from https://www.rivernetwork.org/wp-
content/uploads/2020/06/waste-in-our-waters-community-toolkit-for-
aquatic-litter-removal.pdf