The Ocean Cleanup System 001 Explained | | Cleaning Oceans

Summary

The Ocean Cleanup introduces a pioneering system to combat the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, utilizing a 600-meter floater and 3-meter skirt to corral plastic waste. Harnessing wind, waves, and currents, it outpaces plastic, funneling it for collection. Equipped with solar-powered tech, it autonomously navigates to high-concentration areas. A fleet of 60 systems is projected to clean 50% of the patch every five years, transforming the waste into recyclable products.

Takeaways

• 🌊 The Great Pacific Garbage Patch contains 1.8 trillion pieces of plastic.
• 🚀 The Ocean Cleanup is introducing the first technological solution to address this issue.
• 🔄 The system works by creating an artificial coastline to concentrate and remove plastic.
• 🛶 It consists of a 600-meter-long floater and a 3-meter-deep skirt.
• 💨 The floater provides buoyancy and prevents plastic from flowing over, while the skirt stops smaller particles from escaping.
• 🐠 The skirt allows marine life to pass safely underneath, creating a downward flow.
• 🌪️ The system uses wind, waves, and currents to move faster than the plastic, capturing it.
• 📈 The skirt's design causes the system to adopt a U-shape, funneling plastic towards the center.
• 🔄 The drag from the skirt helps stabilize the system and allows it to re-orient with wind changes.
• 📡 Equipped with solar-powered lights, anti-collision systems, and sensors, the system communicates its position and gathers data.
• 🚢 A support vessel periodically collects the concentrated plastic for recycling.
• 🌿 The goal is for a fleet of 60 systems to clean up 50% of the garbage patch every 5 years.

Q & A

What is the estimated amount of plastic floating at the surface of the Great Pacific Garbage Patch?

There are approximately 1.8 trillion pieces of plastic floating at the surface of the Great Pacific Garbage Patch.

What organization is deploying a technological solution to address the plastic pollution in the Great Pacific Garbage Patch?

The Ocean Cleanup is deploying the world's first technological solution to combat the plastic pollution in the Great Pacific Garbage Patch.

How does the system designed by The Ocean Cleanup work to concentrate and remove plastic from the ocean?

The system works by creating a coastline where there are none, using a 600-meter-long floater and a 3-meter-deep skirt to concentrate the plastic and prevent it from flowing over or escaping underneath.

What natural forces does The Ocean Cleanup's system utilize to capture plastic?

The system utilizes three natural oceanic forces: wind, waves, and currents to capture plastic.

How does the floater and the skirt work together to prevent plastic from escaping the system?

The floater provides buoyancy and prevents plastic from flowing over it, while the skirt prevents smaller particles from escaping underneath, creating a downward flow that allows marine life to pass safely.

How does the system's design help it move faster than the plastic it is trying to capture?

Wind and waves propel the system only, as the floater partly sticks above the surface, while plastic is primarily just beneath it, allowing the system to move faster and capture the plastic.

What is the significance of the U-shape that the system naturally adopts?

The U-shape allows the system to concentrate plastic in its center, like a funnel, by applying pressure on the skirt and generating drag that acts as a stabilizing force.

How does the system ensure it drifts to areas with the highest plastic concentration?

The system, like the plastic, is free-floating, which allows it to automatically drift to areas with the highest plastic concentration.

What kind of equipment is the system fitted with to ensure its functionality and communication?

The system is fitted with solar-powered lights, anti-collision systems, cameras, sensors, and satellite antennas to actively communicate its position and gather performance data.

How is the collected plastic from the system removed and processed?

A support vessel periodically comes by to take out the concentrated plastic, which is then transported to land, recycled, and made into durable products.

What is the expected impact of deploying a fleet of 60 systems on the Great Pacific Garbage Patch?

Once deployed, the fleet of 60 systems is expected to clean up 50% of the Great Pacific Garbage Patch every 5 years.