In a bid to remove the plastic and to make the ocean free from all polluting substances to a maximum extent, the most ambitious ocean cleanup has been started. This long-term process will make sure that 90% of plastic is removed by the end of the year 2040.
We can certainly hope that the oceans would get better as the cleanup process progresses. The shocking fact is that there are over 5 trillion pieces of plastic that are floating under the surface, gradually eliminating marine life.
We have seen sea turtles getting badly affected by plastic straws that got stuck in their noses and it was indeed a sad scene. Humans are only responsible for this infamous activities. In addition to that, this is also causing an annual financial loss of $13 billion, according to the UN estimates.
Slat started his dream project to get rid of the ocean of plastic and today must be an unforgettable day. In 2013, when Slat was just 18, he was the one who launched The Ocean Cleanup, which is a non-profit based in his hometown Delft. It is developing advanced tech to get rid of ocean plastic.
Slat and team have come up with an idea of utilizing the ocean currents to good effect. They call it a ‘passive drifting system’ (System 001) consists of a 600-metre-long floater at the surface of the water with a tapered 3-metre-deep skirt connected below.
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The floater restricts the plastic from flowing over it, whereas the skirt halts debris from escaping underneath. As the system locates through the water, the plastic starts to collect within the boundaries of the system when it takes a U-shape. After the drifting system has rounded up the garbage, a ship comes into play where it can gather it and take it away for further processing
The Ocean Cleanup mission is to convert the plastic into materials that can be utilised for new products.