How System 03 Cleans the Great Pacific Garbage Patch

Summary

The video showcases a pioneering waste collection system known as System 3, designed to combat the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. The system features a 2.2 km floating barrier, with wings that skim the ocean surface to gather floating plastics. The plastics are directed to a central 'retention zone' where they are collected and sorted by type for recycling. The system is towed at a slow pace by two vessels, allowing fish to swim through. After several days of collection, the system is extracted, and the plastics are offloaded for recycling, continuing the fight against ocean pollution.

Takeaways

• 😀 The system being discussed is called System 3, designed for collecting plastic in the Great Pacific Garbage Patch.
• 😀 System 3 features a large, floating barrier that spans 2.2 kilometers in length and includes two wings that skim the ocean surface to collect plastics.
• 😀 The wings are 4 meters deep and move the plastics toward a central area called the 'Retention Zone', where the plastics are gathered.
• 😀 The system is towed through the ocean by two vessels moving at a slow speed of about 1.5 knots, or less than 3 kilometers per hour.
• 😀 The slow speed allows for a lot of fish to swim in and out of the system without interference.
• 😀 The Retention Zone acts like a big 'garbage bag' where collected plastics accumulate, and cameras monitor the situation inside.
• 😀 The system uses computational models to predict areas of the ocean with the highest plastic density, referred to as 'hot spots'.
• 😀 The system operates for several days, collecting plastics, and then undergoes an extraction process when the Retention Zone is full.
• 😀 During extraction, one of the towing vessels pulls the system’s wings on board to allow the other vessel to secure the 'garbage bag' and bring it on deck.
• 😀 Once the plastics are extracted, they are sorted according to different types of recyclable waste before the system is placed back in the water to continue its mission.

Q & A

What is the main purpose of the system described in the video?

The main purpose of the system is to collect floating plastics in the Great Pacific Garbage Patch using a large floating barrier and a retention zone to store the collected waste.

How large is the floating barrier of the system?

The floating barrier is 2.2 kilometers long.

What are the main components of the system?

The system consists of two large wings that skim the ocean surface for floating plastics, directing them to a central collection area known as the retention zone.

What is the function of the retention zone?

The retention zone acts as a large garbage bag where the collected plastics are stored before being extracted.

How fast does the system move through the ocean?

The system moves at a very slow speed of 1.5 knots, which is about 3 kilometers per hour, slower than a person walking.

Why do fish swim in and out of the system?

Fish swim in and out of the system because it is moving slowly through the water, and the system does not pose a significant barrier to aquatic life.

How is the location of the highest plastic density determined?

Computational modelers use data on waves and currents to predict where the highest plastic density will be in the ocean, helping to target the most plastic-filled areas.

What happens when the retention zone is full?

When the retention zone is full, an extraction is performed, where one of the towing vessels retrieves the system's wings, and the other vessel pulls the garbage bag onto the deck to unload the plastics.

How are the plastics sorted after extraction?

After extraction, the plastics are sorted by type according to their recycling streams, ensuring that different types of waste are separated for proper disposal or recycling.

What happens after the plastics are sorted?

Once the plastics are sorted, the system is returned to the water to continue its mission of collecting more plastic waste.