February 08, 2020

Support The Ocean Cleanup

topic:	Ocean Pollution
tags:	#ocean pollution, #NGO, #plastic waste, #pollution, #conservation, #marine life
by:	Yair Oded

Plastic pollution currently constitutes one of the greatest threats to the environment and survival of biodiversity. 

It is estimated that 12.8 million metric tons of plastic waste are contaminating the planet’s oceans.

Originating primarily from land-based activities and trickling through rivers and small water sources into the oceans, plastic waste impacts over 600 marine species and damages the health of both animals and humans. 

The Ocean Cleanup, a non-profit organisation founded by 18-year-old Boyan Slat, is developing eco-friendly technologies that aim to reduce 90 percent of plastic waste from the oceans by 2040.

The organisation’s method is twofold: intercepting plastic waste in rivers and preventing it from reaching the oceans, and cleaning up waste that already exists in the oceans. 

In order to collect plastic waste in rivers and stemming its flow towards the oceans, The Ocean Cleanup developed what they call Interceptors. The Interceptors are “100% solar-powered, extracts plastic autonomously, and can be placed in the majority of the world’s most polluting rivers. Together with corporations and governments from all over the world, we plan on tackling 1000 of the most polluting rivers all over the world in the next five years.” The organisation states on its website. 

In the oceans, the organisation is developing a ‘passive’ cleaning technology which uses the oceanic currents to clean up existing plastic waste in a swift and cost-effective manner. “With a full fleet of cleanup systems in the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, we aim to clean up 50% of its plastic every five years,” the organisation’s team states. 

As part of The Ocean Cleanup’s ‘pollution to product’ program, the organisation transforms plastic it fished out of the oceans into useful products. They also encourage people to take part in the initiative and pledge a donation in exchange for original content documenting the cleanup efforts and early access to the products. 

All proceedings go towards supporting the clean-up effort. 

Please visit their website for more information about their work and to join the vital journey of cleaning up the oceans and eliminating plastic pollution. 

Image credit: The Ocean Cleanup website.