The Ocean Cleanup launches to the Great Pacific Garbage Patch

Summary

The Ocean Cleanup's CEO discusses their mission to remove 90% of ocean plastic by 2040. System 1, a passive floating device, collects plastic in a U-shape design without harming marine life. Lead Oceanographer, Lo Halyburton, emphasizes the importance of stopping plastic pollution and the need for cleanup. The team aims to scale up with a fleet of 60 systems by 2021, turning collected plastic into valuable products to fund further cleanup efforts.

Takeaways

• 🌍 The Ocean Cleanup's mission is to remove plastic from the world's oceans with a goal to reduce the concentration by 90% by 2040.
• 🚢 System 1 is a floating tube with a skirt that captures plastic in a U-shape movement, designed to be passive and not harm marine life.
• 🔬 The lead oceanographer emphasizes the importance of understanding plastic pollution's sources, transport, and fate in the ocean.
• 📈 Macro plastic pollution has been increasing substantially, and it's crucial to stop plastic from entering the oceans.
• 🌀 Plastics accumulate in subtropical gyres where currents converge, particularly in the North Pacific, forming large accumulation zones.
• 🌱 To combat plastic pollution, individuals can reduce single-use plastic consumption and participate in cleanups of natural environments.
• 🔄 System One is a scalable prototype designed to learn and improve, with plans to scale up to a fleet of 60 systems by 2021.
• 🚮 The collected plastic is intended to be recycled into durable products, funding the cleanup operations through its sales.
• 📈 The team is eager to see the first plastic brought back to shore, signifying proven technology and a step towards their ambitious goals.
• 📊 The next few months will be focused on analyzing data from the cleanup system to optimize its performance and efficiency.

Q & A

What is the mission of the Ocean Cleanup?

The mission of the Ocean Cleanup is to develop advanced technologies to remove the world's oceans of plastic, aiming to reduce the concentration of floating plastic in the oceans by ninety percent by 2040.

Can you describe System 1, the floating tube device used by the Ocean Cleanup?

System 1 is a floating tube with a skirt attached beneath it, which is underwater for about three meters. It moves around the ocean in a C-shape or U-shape, catching and collecting plastic inside of it.

How does the Ocean Cleanup ensure that their system does not harm marine life?

The system is designed to be passive and is not propelled by any means other than natural ocean forces. This design minimizes any adverse effects on marine life.

Who is the lead oceanographer for the Ocean Cleanup and what is their role?

Lauren Haliburton is the lead oceanographer for the Ocean Cleanup. Her role involves studying plastic pollution in the ocean, which includes understanding the sources, transport, and fate of plastic.

What is the significance of the subtropical gyre in the context of plastic pollution?

The subtropical gyre, particularly in the North Pacific, is an area where ocean currents converge and marine debris accumulates. It is one of the five major accumulation zones for plastic pollution.

What are the five accumulation zones in the world's oceans?

There are five accumulation zones, one in each oceanic gyre, where ocean currents converge and plastic debris accumulates.

What is one of the primary recommendations to combat plastic pollution according to the script?

One of the primary recommendations is to reduce the use of plastic, especially single-use plastic, and to clean up trash in natural environments whenever possible.

What is the minimum viable product referred to in the script?

The minimum viable product referred to is System 1, which is the initial version of the Ocean Cleanup's device designed to prove the concept and start the cleaning process.

What is the goal for the Ocean Cleanup in terms of scaling up their operations?

The goal is to scale up to a fleet of about 60 systems, with the belief that they will have this fleet in operation by 2021.

How does the Ocean Cleanup plan to utilize the collected plastic?

The collected plastic is intended to be taken back to land and processed with recycling partners to create durable, desirable products. The sale of these products will help fund the cleanup operations.

What is the significance of bringing the first plastic back to shore according to the script?

Bringing the first plastic back to shore signifies that the technology has been proven effective, which is a key milestone in the Ocean Cleanup's mission.