GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (Michigan News Source) – Michigan-based retailer Meijer is funding a Great Lakes Plastic Cleanup Program that will utilize a BeBot and Pixie Drone. These drones are beach and water-based and will clean up Midwestern beaches and waterways in Michigan, Ohio, and Wisconsin.

In a partnership with the Council of the Great Lake Region (CGLR), this drone deployment will be the single-largest of its kind of eco-friendly remote-controlled devices.

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Meijer and CGLR have already started leading these cleanup projects in partnership with many community, state and environmental non-governmental organizations.

The BeBot is a remote-controlled (solar and battery powered) beach cleaning robot that cleans 32K square feet per hour. It rakes through the sand without altering the beach environment and collects plastic litter and other waste such as cans, food wrapper, bottles and cigarette butts.

The items are put in a basket for disposal and recycling. The Pixie Drone is a remote-controlled water done that can collect up to 200 lbs. of material per use. It can navigate through marinas and other waterways to collect plastic litter and other waste debris floating on the surface of the water. While on its rounds, it can also collect water data such as temperature, pH and other information.

Along the Muskegon lakeshore, the drones will be operated by representatives from the Grand Valley State University Annis Water Resources Institute. Muskegon Mayor Ken Johnson says, “The City of Muskegon is thrilled to participate in the Great Lakes Plastic Cleanup Program and serve as home to the BeBot and Pixie Drone, which will strengthen stewardship of our precious waterways and majestic Pere Marquette Beach.”

Meijer allocated almost $1 million for the project to the CGLR Foundation earlier this year. Meijer President & CEO Rick Keyes said, “It is a privilege to live near the Great Lakes, which inherently comes with the responsibility to protect them. Contributing to the conservation of these invaluable waterways is important to the wellbeing of our ecosystems, economy, and the communities we serve.”