Simple solutions
for complex problems
Simple solutions
for complex problems
Simple solutions
for complex problems
The 3L-Initiative
Our unique localised approach to tackle a global challenge.
Low-Cost
By staying local and low-tech, we keep costs down and impact scalable.
Low-Tech
Simple tech means faster rollout, easier maintenance, and more local ownership.
Local
We build with local materials, hire local talent, and raise local awareness.
Local
We build our technology from locally available materials and in place of operations. By avoiding imports, we save carbon, time and money. We employ local people and create awareness around plastic pollution within the communities.
Low-Tech
Low-Tech is the opposite of high-tech. Keeping things simple leads to fast implementation and also means that more people can operate, repair and maintain our TrashBooms.
Low-Cost
Working with locally-built, low-tech solutions results in low-cost. We address a global problem that needs to be tackled at scale. We mainly collect non-valuable material, thus we need to keep it as cost-efficient as possible.
Low-Cost
By staying local and low-tech, we keep costs down and impact scalable.
Low-Tech
Simple tech means faster rollout, easier maintenance, and more local ownership.
Local
We build with local materials, hire local talent, and raise local awareness.
A solution for every
water body
In 2019, we were the first company worldwide to focus on rivers to stop
ocean plastic. Since then, we have gained deep knowledge about all kinds
of water bodies that carry plastic into the sea.
In 2019, we were the first company worldwide to focus on rivers to stop ocean plastic. Since then, we have gained deep knowledge about all kinds of water bodies that carry plastic into the sea.
Regular
Trashboom
A swimming barrier that stops the vast majority of River Plastic while allowing marine life to swim underneath. It is a self-aligning, modular, passive collection solution from which we manually retrieve the River Plastic. We have been awarded by the World Economic Forum for this invention and it led to the founding of Organizations such as Sungai Watch.
Walkable Trashboom
A swimming barrier that stops the vast majority of River Plastic while allowing marine life to swim underneath. It is a self-aligning, modular, passive collection solution from which we manually retrieve the River Plastic. We have been awarded by the World Economic Forum for this invention and it led to the founding of Organizations such as Sungai Watch.
Regular
Trashboom
A swimming barrier that stops the vast majority of River Plastic while allowing marine life to swim underneath. It is a self-aligning, modular, passive collection solution from which we manually retrieve the River Plastic. We have been awarded by the World Economic Forum for this invention, leading to the founding of multiple organisations in this space replicating our solution.
Walkable
Trashboom
In hard to access places such as steep storm water drains or water bodies with relatively high flow speed, we use a system that simultaneously acts as a stable bridge to collect the River Plastic. It allows us to remove the stopped material from the water and carry the material easily to the river bank. We also take care of initial drying and sorting on the system.
Lifting
Mechanisms
To cope with highly polluted rivers and drains, we designed our own crane system that helps us remove large volumes of River Plastic within short time. This way, we avoid the need to rent excavators and other heavy equipment while making the job for our staff much easier. It is, of course, in line with our 3L principles.
Lifting Mechanisms
A swimming barrier that stops the vast majority of River Plastic while allowing marine life to swim underneath. It is a self-aligning, modular, passive collection solution from which we manually retrieve the River Plastic. We have been awarded by the World Economic Forum for this invention and it led to the founding of Organizations such as Sungai Watch.
Responsible waste management
powered by local people
In 2019, we were the first company worldwide to focus on rivers to stop
ocean plastic. Since then, we have gained deep knowledge about all kinds
of water bodies that carry plastic into the sea.
In 2019, we were the first company worldwide to focus on rivers to stop ocean plastic. Since then, we have gained deep knowledge about all kinds of water bodies that carry plastic into the sea.
Remote & Decentralised
We want most of our funding to create local impact. Therefore, we keep the payroll of our decentralised staff - especially in Germany - as small as possible. To exchange knowledge, we have regular video calls between our teams across the world who then implement locally.
Remote & Decentralised
We want most of our funding to create local impact. Therefore, we keep the payroll of our decentralised staff - especially in Germany - as small as possible. To exchange knowledge, we have regular video calls between our teams across the world who then implement locally.
Remote & Decentralised
We want most of our funding to create local impact. Therefore, we keep the payroll of our decentralised staff - especially in Germany - as small as possible. To exchange knowledge, we have regular video calls between our teams across the world who then implement locally.
What happens to the waste?
What happens to the waste?
Drying
Everything that is not of natural origin and harmful for the environment is collected and treated in line with international best practices.
Drying
Everything that is not of natural origin and harmful for the environment is collected and treated in line with international best practices.
Drying
Everything that is not of natural origin and harmful for the environment is collected and treated in line with international best practices.
Sorting
We separate recyclable from non-recyclable material. Only 5% of the non-organic material that we collect can actually be recycled as most of the valuable plastic is already collected by the informal waste sector. Most of the plastic we fisch out of rivers is single-use-plastic that is not designed to be part of a circular economy. Learn more below.
Sorting
We separate recyclable from non-recyclable material. Only 5% of the non-organic material that we collect can actually be recycled as most of the valuable plastic is already collected by the informal waste sector. Most of the plastic we fisch out of rivers is single-use-plastic that is not designed to be part of a circular economy. Learn more below.
Sorting
We separate recyclable from non-recyclable material. Only 5% of the non-organic material that we collect can actually be recycled as most of the valuable plastic is already collected by the informal waste sector. Most of the plastic we fisch out of rivers is single-use-plastic that is not designed to be part of a circular economy. Learn more below.
Baling
We bale (compress) the dried River Plastic in around 30-50 kg cubes and then stack it until we ship it for further
processing to our partners. This ensures efficient transportation and reduces again the amount of moisture. Now is the moment to weigh the material and register it on the tracking platform and update our numbers on the website.
Baling
We bale (compress) the dried River Plastic in around 30-50 kg cubes and then stack it until we ship it for further
processing to our partners. This ensures efficient transportation and reduces again the amount of moisture. Now is the moment to weigh the material and register it on the tracking platform and update our numbers on the website.
Baling
We bale (compress) the dried River Plastic in around 30-50 kg cubes and then stack it until we ship it for further processing to our partners. This ensures efficient transportation and reduces again the amount of moisture. Now is the moment to weigh the material and register it on the tracking platform and update our numbers on the website.
End of Life
All material is sent to off-takers that either recycle it into new products or utilise the calorific value as an energy source (burning it and replacing the use of coal with this). We track the material until it reaches the entry of our partners and with this ensure that the material will not end up in the environment again.
End of Life
All material is sent to off-takers that either recycle it into new products or utilise the calorific value as an energy source (burning it and replacing the use of coal with this). We track the material until it reaches the entry of our partners and with this ensure that the material will not end up in the environment again.
End of Life
All material is sent to off-takers that either recycle it into new products or utilise the calorific value as an energy source (burning it and replacing the use of coal with this). We track the material until it reaches the entry of our partners and with this ensure that the material will not end up in the environment again.
What is the 3L-Initiative?
You probably know the 3R Initiative (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle) - in analogy to that we created the 3L Initiative as our award-winning approach to tackling plastic pollution in emerging markets.
Low-tech: Common sense, simple solutions that work reliably Local: Technology that can be built anywhere in the world using local resources Low-cost: Affordable at the scale needed to address this global crisis
Keep it simple, pragmatic, and effective - that's our bread and butter.
Is aquatic biodiversity at risk because of your TrashBooms?
Nope. We founded the company to protect marine animals, so our systems are designed to avoid harm. To stop the plastic, we use a rigid mesh instead of a wobbly net - because we don’t want to entangle, but simply stop what's flowing downstream. The TrashBoom itself goes 50 cm below the water surface and allows fish to pass underneath. It works with the river's natural flow rather than being dragged across it - a minimally invasive solution that targets floating debris while preserving aquatic life. With our technology, we also avoid the risk of boats losing diesel or other harmful substances in the water.
Why do you work in small rivers?
Because cleaning tributaries is the most effective approach to get big, heavily polluted rivers clean. With this, we avoid boat traffic and the wild force of major rivers during the rainy season. We rather work in smaller rivers that often flow through villages and carry the discarded waste to the main stream. It also makes the problem visible to the public in many places across the city and makes the amounts stopped in each one of the TrashBooms better manageable.
Why don’t you work with high-tech and boats?
Because most of the time, they look more impressive than they actually help. Our focus is on practical, cost-effective solutions that work reliably in all conditions. In some places, we use small, emission-free paddle boats to empty our systems. But most of the time, we position the TrashBooms so that the waste can be collected directly from the shore.
It doesn’t take expensive AI-driven systems or flashy gadgets that look good but don’t solve the problem — TrashBooms do the job simply and effectively. This way, we can create local jobs, keep operations affordable, and use smart design instead of unnecessary tech. That said, we are developing more automated options to make collection easier, but we’ll always stick to our 3L approach: low-cost, local, and low-tech.
Why do you focus on rivers to stop ocean plastic?
Because it just makes sense. When we saw the Mekong River in Vietnam carrying loads of plastic straight to the sea, we thought: why not stop it right there? Rivers are basically the Autobahn for plastic on its way to the ocean—so we’d rather set up the roadblock early (yes, not the most German use of an Autobahn, we know).
Need some facts? Here you go: Around 80% of ocean plastic comes from rivers. Most of it floats in the top 50 cm of water, making it much easier to collect. Once it reaches the ocean, only about 1% of plastic remains on the surface—the rest sinks or breaks apart. In rivers, the waste hasn’t been exposed to salt water yet, so it’s usually in larger pieces, not microplastic, and far more manageable to remove. Stopping plastic in rivers is simply the most effective, efficient, and common-sense solution.
Do you stop microplastic?
Yes, indirectly. We can’t filter out existing microplastic in rivers, but we stop larger pieces of plastic (macroplastic) before they break down into it. Sunlight and saltwater slowly degrade plastic bags, bottles, fishing nets, and other items into tiny fragments. These so-called secondary microplastics make up about 69–81% of all microplastics in the ocean.
So in practice, most of the plastic we collect would already be microplastic by now if we hadn’t intercepted it upstream. We believe it makes more sense to close the tap before mopping the floor — stop macroplastic in rivers before it turns into microplastic in the oceans.
Of course, we value all complementary efforts. It will take more than Plastic Fischer to save our oceans!
What is the 3L-Initiative?
You probably know the 3R Initiative (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle) - in analogy to that we created the 3L Initiative as our award-winning approach to tackling plastic pollution in emerging markets.
Low-tech: Common sense, simple solutions that work reliably Local: Technology that can be built anywhere in the world using local resources Low-cost: Affordable at the scale needed to address this global crisis
Keep it simple, pragmatic, and effective - that's our bread and butter.
Is aquatic biodiversity at risk because of your TrashBooms?
Nope. We founded the company to protect marine animals, so our systems are designed to avoid harm. To stop the plastic, we use a rigid mesh instead of a wobbly net - because we don’t want to entangle, but simply stop what's flowing downstream. The TrashBoom itself goes 50 cm below the water surface and allows fish to pass underneath. It works with the river's natural flow rather than being dragged across it - a minimally invasive solution that targets floating debris while preserving aquatic life. With our technology, we also avoid the risk of boats losing diesel or other harmful substances in the water.
Why do you work in small rivers?
Because cleaning tributaries is the most effective approach to get big, heavily polluted rivers clean. With this, we avoid boat traffic and the wild force of major rivers during the rainy season. We rather work in smaller rivers that often flow through villages and carry the discarded waste to the main stream. It also makes the problem visible to the public in many places across the city and makes the amounts stopped in each one of the TrashBooms better manageable.
Why don’t you work with high-tech and boats?
Because most of the time, they look more impressive than they actually help. Our focus is on practical, cost-effective solutions that work reliably in all conditions. In some places, we use small, emission-free paddle boats to empty our systems. But most of the time, we position the TrashBooms so that the waste can be collected directly from the shore.
It doesn’t take expensive AI-driven systems or flashy gadgets that look good but don’t solve the problem — TrashBooms do the job simply and effectively. This way, we can create local jobs, keep operations affordable, and use smart design instead of unnecessary tech. That said, we are developing more automated options to make collection easier, but we’ll always stick to our 3L approach: low-cost, local, and low-tech.
Why do you focus on rivers to stop ocean plastic?
Because it just makes sense. When we saw the Mekong River in Vietnam carrying loads of plastic straight to the sea, we thought: why not stop it right there? Rivers are basically the Autobahn for plastic on its way to the ocean—so we’d rather set up the roadblock early (yes, not the most German use of an Autobahn, we know).
Need some facts? Here you go: Around 80% of ocean plastic comes from rivers. Most of it floats in the top 50 cm of water, making it much easier to collect. Once it reaches the ocean, only about 1% of plastic remains on the surface—the rest sinks or breaks apart. In rivers, the waste hasn’t been exposed to salt water yet, so it’s usually in larger pieces, not microplastic, and far more manageable to remove. Stopping plastic in rivers is simply the most effective, efficient, and common-sense solution.
Do you stop microplastic?
Yes, indirectly. We can’t filter out existing microplastic in rivers, but we stop larger pieces of plastic (macroplastic) before they break down into it. Sunlight and saltwater slowly degrade plastic bags, bottles, fishing nets, and other items into tiny fragments. These so-called secondary microplastics make up about 69–81% of all microplastics in the ocean.
So in practice, most of the plastic we collect would already be microplastic by now if we hadn’t intercepted it upstream. We believe it makes more sense to close the tap before mopping the floor — stop macroplastic in rivers before it turns into microplastic in the oceans.
Of course, we value all complementary efforts. It will take more than Plastic Fischer to save our oceans!
What is the 3L-Initiative?
You probably know the 3R Initiative (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle) - in analogy to that we created the 3L Initiative as our award-winning approach to tackling plastic pollution in emerging markets.
Low-tech: Common sense, simple solutions that work reliably Local: Technology that can be built anywhere in the world using local resources Low-cost: Affordable at the scale needed to address this global crisis
Keep it simple, pragmatic, and effective - that's our bread and butter.
Is aquatic biodiversity at risk because of your TrashBooms?
Nope. We founded the company to protect marine animals, so our systems are designed to avoid harm. To stop the plastic, we use a rigid mesh instead of a wobbly net - because we don’t want to entangle, but simply stop what's flowing downstream. The TrashBoom itself goes 50 cm below the water surface and allows fish to pass underneath. It works with the river's natural flow rather than being dragged across it - a minimally invasive solution that targets floating debris while preserving aquatic life. With our technology, we also avoid the risk of boats losing diesel or other harmful substances in the water.
Why do you work in small rivers?
Because cleaning tributaries is the most effective approach to get big, heavily polluted rivers clean. With this, we avoid boat traffic and the wild force of major rivers during the rainy season. We rather work in smaller rivers that often flow through villages and carry the discarded waste to the main stream. It also makes the problem visible to the public in many places across the city and makes the amounts stopped in each one of the TrashBooms better manageable.
Why don’t you work with high-tech and boats?
Because most of the time, they look more impressive than they actually help. Our focus is on practical, cost-effective solutions that work reliably in all conditions. In some places, we use small, emission-free paddle boats to empty our systems. But most of the time, we position the TrashBooms so that the waste can be collected directly from the shore.
It doesn’t take expensive AI-driven systems or flashy gadgets that look good but don’t solve the problem — TrashBooms do the job simply and effectively. This way, we can create local jobs, keep operations affordable, and use smart design instead of unnecessary tech. That said, we are developing more automated options to make collection easier, but we’ll always stick to our 3L approach: low-cost, local, and low-tech.
Why do you focus on rivers to stop ocean plastic?
Because it just makes sense. When we saw the Mekong River in Vietnam carrying loads of plastic straight to the sea, we thought: why not stop it right there? Rivers are basically the Autobahn for plastic on its way to the ocean—so we’d rather set up the roadblock early (yes, not the most German use of an Autobahn, we know).
Need some facts? Here you go: Around 80% of ocean plastic comes from rivers. Most of it floats in the top 50 cm of water, making it much easier to collect. Once it reaches the ocean, only about 1% of plastic remains on the surface—the rest sinks or breaks apart. In rivers, the waste hasn’t been exposed to salt water yet, so it’s usually in larger pieces, not microplastic, and far more manageable to remove. Stopping plastic in rivers is simply the most effective, efficient, and common-sense solution.
Do you stop microplastic?
Yes, indirectly. We can’t filter out existing microplastic in rivers, but we stop larger pieces of plastic (macroplastic) before they break down into it. Sunlight and saltwater slowly degrade plastic bags, bottles, fishing nets, and other items into tiny fragments. These so-called secondary microplastics make up about 69–81% of all microplastics in the ocean.
So in practice, most of the plastic we collect would already be microplastic by now if we hadn’t intercepted it upstream. We believe it makes more sense to close the tap before mopping the floor — stop macroplastic in rivers before it turns into microplastic in the oceans.
Of course, we value all complementary efforts. It will take more than Plastic Fischer to save our oceans!
Subscribe & Fisch 1 kg Plastic
Subscribe to our monthly newsletter and stay tuned. We
inform you about new partnerships, impact-development
and all other news.
Subscribe &
Fisch 1 kg Plastic
Subscribe to our monthly newsletter and stay tuned. We inform you about new partnerships, impact-development and all other news.
© 2025 - Plastic Fischer Powered by Framer,
Website Designed by Lukas Keysell
English
Subscribe &
Fisch 1 kg Plastic
Subscribe to our monthly newsletter and stay tuned. We inform you about new partnerships, impact-development and all other news.
© 2025 - Plastic Fischer Powered by Framer,
Website Designed by Lukas Keysell
English
