Under pressure ahead of Olympics, Rio turns to Dutch researchers to collect rubbish in bay

Pigeons fly over the polluted Botafogo beach at Guanabara Bay during a tour for the press in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Tuesday, March 10, 2015. The government of Rio de Janeiro is turning to Dutch experts for help in cleaning up the trash-filled bay in time for the 2016 Olympic sailing events. Researchers have created a system that compiles weather, water-quality data and possibly real-time footage from cameras around the bay to forecast where litter accumulates and travels in the extensive bay of 146 square miles. (AP Photo/Felipe Dana) (The Associated Press)

Trash floats on a polluted water channel that flows into the Guanabara Bay during a tour for the press in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Tuesday, March 10, 2015. Under pressure from the International Olympic Committee, the government of Rio de Janeiro has turned to a high-technology Dutch firm to help collect floating rubbish in Guanabara Bay, the sailing venue for the 2016 Games. (AP Photo/Felipe Dana) (The Associated Press)

Under pressure from the International Olympic Committee, the government of Rio de Janeiro has turned to a high-technology Dutch firm to help collect floating rubbish in Guanabara Bay, the sailing venue for the 2016 Games.

Researchers have created a system that compiles weather and water-condition data and possibly real-time footage from cameras to forecast where litter accumulates and travels.

Project leader Joao Rego said Wednesday that the computer simulations provide an overview to make the job of collecting waste more cost-effective.

But environmentalists say the government is not doing enough to fix rampant sewage pollution and that the trash tracking will have zero impact on that.

Cutting the flow of pollutants by 80 percent was promised as a lasting legacy in the city's Olympic bid.