Waterlooville student's invention aims to reduce plastic entering oceans

Grace Watts, from Widley, designed and created the Plasticgully — a device that sits in street storm drains and collects any litter that falls into them, while maintaining water flow.

The device, which itself is made from recyclable plastic, can then be removed, emptied and re-inserted into the drain.

Grace, who is a product design student at the University of Northampton, has received the backing of the university’s professor of sustainable wastes management, Margaret Bate.

Grace said: ‘When I was carrying out my research I looked at the ways plastic can enter our oceans and a major source is litter in the street entering waterways.

‘With street drains there’s no filtration so I thought about the ways of trying to stop it. It’s a simple idea, and it works.

‘Hopefully, my Plasticgully can be a small part of the solution.’