The Passaic Valley Sewerage Commission has a new weapon to help combat the perpetually unpleasant problem of floating trash and debris in the Passaic River: a state-of-the-art “Trash Hunting” vessel.
The PVSC launched its Aquarius System Trash Hunter TH-34 Skimmer Vessel into the Newark Bay last week, sending it off on its first wave of “rigorous” river trials. The 50-foot long, 13-foot wide, 27,500-pound boat features twin catamaran hulls and a water jet propulsion system, all of which will help it with its mission… to patrol the Passaic River and Newark Bay area for trash.
Though the Passaic River in New Jersey is the “cleanest it has been in decades,” debris continues to wash in with the tide every day, the PVSC said. Last year, the agency removed 12,960 tons of “debris” from local waterways.