The level of plastic pollution in the ocean have reached an alarming level for all of us to pay attention. Apart from reducing plastic use and cleaning up seashores, perhaps we need to actively search for solutions to really combat the existing issues of plastic pollution. Automotive company, Volvo has teamed up with the Sydney Institute of Marine Science and Reef Design Lab to create the Living Seawall that can potentially help the issue at large. 

The Living Seawall is a structure that is built by 50 3D-printed tiles designed to mimic the root structure of mangrove trees. It has been installed along an existing seawall structure in Sydney Harbour, designed to maximise the colonisation of native species, so they can lead to biodiversity at a better rate than a flat seawall. Over time, the Living Seawall attracts filter-feeding organisms that actually absorb and filter particles and pollutants such as particulate matter and heavy metals out of the water, resulting in cleaner water. Researchers will spend the next 20 years monitoring the Living Seawall and recording how it improves biodiversity and water quality.