Detroit to launch litter cleanup robot on Belle Isle beachfront

Side by side with human volunteers, a robot is slated to pitch in on cleaning Belle Isle's beach of litter in Detroit this year, city officials announced Tuesday.

Launching on Earth Day, April 22, the BeBot will collaborate with Belle Isle Conservancy clean up initiatives through the year as part of a continued effort to keep the waterfront park clean, representatives said in a news release.

The robot can retrieve litter up across up to 32,000 square feet per hour, including cigarette butts, plastics, food wrappers and bottles, according to the statement.

The Clorox Company provided a $150,000 grant for the project, $15,000 of which was awarded to the conservancy, the city said.

Meijer and the Clorox Company both supported Detroit's Office of Mobility Innovation and CGLR Foundation in bringing the project to life, alongside the Michigan Department of Natural Resources and GGLR Foundation, according to the release.

"By harnessing the power of BeBot, we are taking proactive steps to combat litter pollution and preserve the beauty of Belle Isle for generations to come," Tim Slusser, Detroit's Office of Mobility Innovation chief, said in the release.

The BeBot was already tested on Belle Isle Beach and previously deployed on Great Lakes beaches in Michigan, Ohio and Wisconsin, officials said.

The city is seeking future funding for another BeBot and PixieDrone, a remotely operated floating waste collector for local waterways.

Partner funding for another BeBot could take between $80,000 to $90,0000, the city said.

The PixieDrone, which could take up to $70,000 in partner funding, would also be separately operated.

The Belle Isle Conservancy will host its first BeBot community cleanup on June 8 for World Ocean Day and host regular cleanups through September.

"We are excited to work in partnership with the City of Detroit, Michigan Department of Natural Resources and the CGLR Foundation to foster innovation and innovative technologies as we continue to protect and preserve our natural resources and make critical movement towards adopting the principles, practices and policies of a circular economy," Genevieve Rattray, director of sustainability and advocacy for the Belle Isle Conservancy, said in the release.