There is a lot of human made waste going to the ocean every year. One of the most damaging type of waste is the plastic due to its potential impact on flora and fauna, and its little capability of decomposing. The amount of plastic in the ocean increases in around 8 million tons annually.
The Ocean Cleanup is a non-profit with the mission of cleaning up the ocean from plastic waste. The technology consists con a floating v-shaped array made of a net that goes a few feet into the ocean. The staff of the project states that the device is flexible enough to be able to move through the ocean´s currents without being damaged by the nature´s force.
- Governments of coastal countries.
- Fishing industry.
- Beach tourists.
The pilot is already ongoing. Many oceanographers doubt the technology´s capability to resist the ocean´s forces. In response to this, improvements in the device have to be made. The organization needs to focus on securing more funding (which so far has been coming from non-profits) to further develop the technology and expand the pilot.