Environment Preservation
Locating hazardous waste
For too long, we’ve used oceans, lakes and waterways as dumping sites.
In the last century, this dumping has taken place on an industrial scale across much of the world, with disastrous consequences for the environment and water quality.
Some of this ocean waste is visible on the seabed, while much is hidden in the bottom sediment of the ocean floor.
In the last century, this dumping has taken place on an industrial scale across much of the world, with disastrous consequences for the environment and water quality.
Some of this ocean waste is visible on the seabed, while much is hidden in the bottom sediment of the ocean floor.
A discarded leaking barrel sits 3,000 feet deep on the ocean floor near Santa Catalina Island. Credit: David Valentine / ROV Jason
Fishermen have found a dozen bombs believed to be from World War II buried on the Galapagos Islands. The bombs were found on Bartolome Island, near Baltra Island where the United States set up a military base during World War II. Credit: Reuters
Finding weapons of war
In addition to trash, the wars of the last few centuries have resulted in millions of dumped mines, ammunition, mustard gas and other chemical weapons being tossed into the seas for final storage. This poses a significant risk to both animal life and civilian underwater activities.
Governmental agencies and industries are under pressure to clean their marine environment to achieve the UN’s global sustainable development goals.
Governmental agencies and industries are under pressure to clean their marine environment to achieve the UN’s global sustainable development goals.
Non-invasive mapping of the seabed
RWMT's system for mapping the bottom sediment layer is capable of locating dumped waste and weapons of war that otherwise would be difficult or impossible to detect.
The technique is based on using ultrasound, which generates high resolution images through vertical echoes. This makes it both environmentally friendly and non-invasive, meaning that it does not harm or impact the marine environment and its animal and plant life.
The technique is based on using ultrasound, which generates high resolution images through vertical echoes. This makes it both environmentally friendly and non-invasive, meaning that it does not harm or impact the marine environment and its animal and plant life.
Services offered
Non-invasive scanning
of the seafloor and bottom sediment in sensitive environments
of the seafloor and bottom sediment in sensitive environments
Documenting changes
in coral reefs or marine habitats over time
in coral reefs or marine habitats over time
Analysis
of collected raw data
of collected raw data
Identification
of objects detected
of objects detected
Recovery
of detected objects
of detected objects
Collaboration for the conservation of marine echosystems in the Galápagos
RWMT has signed a 5-year collaboration agreement with the goal of protecting the Galápagos Islands’ natural resources and the sharing of scientific results. The collaborations are with the Galapagos National Park Directorate (GNPD), the principal provincial authority for environmental management, and the Charles Darwin Foundation, an international non-profit organization dedicated to scientific research.
