SYDNEY — Volvo is working on what it calls Living Seawalls which mimic the structure of mangrove roots, to recreate habitats for marine life that were once supported by mangrove trees.<br /><br />It is building one Living Seawall in Sydney, Australia, where half of the coastline is now comprised of artificial seawalls.<br /><br />Volvo is working with the Sydney Institute of Marine Science and Reef Design Lab to build the Living Seawall, which will be made up of a total of 50 3D-printed tiles. The tiles will be reinforced with recycled plastic fibers.<br /><br />These tiles are designed to mimic the root structure of native mangrove trees in Sydney, and it is hoped they will provide a habitat for marine life that was lost when mangrove forests gave way to artificial coastlines.<br /><br />The artificial seawall will be able to attract filter-feeding organisms which will aid in absorbing and filtering out toxic pollutants, according to Volvo's website.<br /><br />The Living Seawall will be installed on the existing seawall structure in Sydney Harbor.<br /><br />Humans produce around 300 million tonnes of plastic waste every year, according to the UN.<br /><br />Australians produce 3 million tons of plastic every year — of which only 12 percent is recycled, according to WWF Australia.<br /><br />Items such plastic water bottles, grocery bags and straws all end up in the ocean on a daily basis, according to EcoWatch.<br /><br />Volvo says researchers will observe the seawall for the next 20 years as it improves biodiversity and water quality.
