• James Kateeba builds a boat called a floating island from recycled plastic.

• The invention of the floating island is an attempt at a conservative effort.

• The boat has become a tourist attraction.

The topic of recycling has always been an often-visited topic as it has a direct link to the preservation of the ecosystem. 

A man in Luzira, a city in Uganda has found a unique way to recycle plastics by making a large vessel made entirely out of plastic waste and eco-friendly materials.

The name of the man responsible for this creation is James Kateeba and his creation is called the Floating Island. He started building this boat in 2017 in order to deal with what action to carry out when there are tonnes of plastic waste ending up in the lake when it rains heavily. He said “bottles get into Lake Victoria from runoff water, like when it rains. Most times it is runoff water that is not properly managed from the mainland; they end up in the lake and people just throw them carelessly as they go to their day-to-day work.”

This boat he built using up to 10 tonnes of plastic bottles. During his interview, he said, “the vessel is anchored using cords attached to the mainland. It is sitting on a minimum of 10 tonnes of plastic bottles. It could hold up to about 100 to 120 people in comfort.” Batches of plastics were tied up in fishing nets and packed with dirt, creating the solid bases anchoring the boat, which are fertile grounds for climbing plants here and there.

This idea birthed a realization that the boat also could be an example of a sustainable business on the shores of Uganda’s lake Victoria; a floating restaurant and bar that could be unmoored to drift for pleasure.

Many people who have gone to the lake shore in the suburb of Luzira for relaxation have no idea, the reason for the existence of the boat but Kateeba insists on it first and foremost being a conservative effort, one man’s effort to play his part in protecting a great lake from degradation. The initial attraction becomes more compelling when tourists to Uganda learn that the greenery emerges from an innovative recycling project which uses thousands of dirt-encrusted plastic bottles to anchor the boat.

Africa’s Lake Victoria, the world’s second-largest freshwater lake spanning three countries, is plagued by pollution including runoff waste, sand mining, and a decline in water levels due to climate change. Layers of plastic waste float near some beaches during the rainy season, a visible sign of pollution that’s a worry for fishing communities heavily dependent on the lake. Kateeba started by asking fishermen from nearby landing sites to collect plastic bottles for a small fee. More than 10 tonnes of bottles were brought to him within six months.

Kateeba’s effort of conservation is also paying off as the roots from the fig trees and shrubs provide a breeding ground for fish. “We get fishermen catching catfish, catching lungfish and tilapia under this. We created space under this vessel which is good for the fish population in this area,” says Kateeba.

James Kateeba hopes his creation, called Floating Island, will encourage recycling and end littering in Lake Victoria. Kateeba’s boat has become a huge attraction for people who visit the island from various parts of the country.