Ocean Cleanup project

Environment

Can ocean cleanup boats power themselves by turning plastic into fuel?

With the amount of plastic swirling around in the ocean, wouldn't it be handy if the boats cleaning it up could use the trash to fuel their own operations? A new study has crunched the numbers and suggests such an approach may be feasible.

System 002, or Jenny, in action at the Great Pacific Garbage Patch

Environment

Ocean Cleanup moves beyond testing and outlines a system 3x the size

Having only just returned from a trial campaign that yielded massive hauls of plastic waste, the Ocean Cleanup Project is now moving beyond testing and kicking off its first operational mission, while outlining plans for a much larger system.

Plastic waste is hauled onboard as part of the Ocean Cleanup's latest test

Environment

Ocean Cleanup's supersized system proves its worth with "massive" haul

Back in August, the Ocean Cleanup Project returned to the waters of the Great Pacific Garbage Patch with a redesigned trash-collecting system that was its largest yet, and it has just reigned in a "massive" haul of plastic waste.

The Ocean Cleanup Project has deployed a new system that uses active propulsion

Environment

Ocean Cleanup's biggest system sweeps into Great Pacific Garbage Patch

The Ocean Cleanup Project has made a significant tweak to its design, switching from a passive device to one powered by active propulsion, which the team sees as a far more efficient and effective way of removing plastic waste from the ocean.

For the third generation Interceptor, improvements have been made to the conveyor, shuttle, dumpsters and barge

Environment

Ocean Cleanup gets ready to tackle world's most polluting rivers

The Ocean Cleanup is ramping up production of its Interceptor plastic trash removers in partnership with Konecranes, with a thousand of the world's most heavily polluting rivers in its sights.

The Ocean Cleanup sunglasses are priced at US$199 apiece

Environment

Ocean Cleanup debuts its first sunglasses made from plastic waste

As part of its mission to tackle plastic pollution in the marine environment, The Ocean Cleanup project plans to sell goods made from the waste it recovers to fund its ongoing operations, and has just unveiled its very first product.

The Ocean Cleanup says the profits from its recycled plastic products will be used to fund its ongoing cleanup operations

Environment

Ocean Cleanup hauls its first batch of plastic trash back to shore

It hasn’t been entirely smooth sailing, but The Ocean Cleanup is now calling an end to a first successful mission to collect plastic from the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, today showing off the first pile of captured trash on the shores of Vancouver.

The Interceptor is capable of pulling out 50,000 kg (110,200 lb) of trash each day

Environment

Ocean Cleanup takes on rivers of plastic with "The Interceptor"

With its huge barriers now successfully collecting trash from the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, the Ocean Cleanup Project is heading upstream to tackle the issue closer to the source with "The Interceptor," a system to pull waste from rivers.

The Ocean Cleanup's prototype System 001/B has now started capturing plastic waste from the Great Pacific Garbage Patch

Environment

Ocean Cleanup starts harvesting plastic from the Great Pacific Garbage Patch

After years in development, the Ocean Cleanup has today announced that its prototype is capturing plastic debris from the Great Pacific Garbage Patch.

The Great Ocean Cleanup team envisions fleets of its U-shaped barrier drifting through the Great Pacific Garbage Patch eating up plastic waste like a giant Pac-Man

Environment

Ocean Cleanup attaches parachutes to trash-collecting barriers to maintain steady speeds

The Ocean Cleanup team is reporting to have overcome a significant stumbling block, using a novel parachute-anchor mechanism to correct speed-related troubles plaguing its earlier approach to ocean-going garbage collection.

After a sizeable stint on the sidelines, The Ocean Cleanup Project is bouncing back into action

Environment

Take two: Upgraded Ocean Cleanup barrier returns to take on the Great Pacific Garbage Patch

After a stint on the sidelines, The Ocean Cleanup Project is bouncing back into action following a few upgrades, with the team now hopeful it has a system better equipped to take on the massive task of plastic pollution in the ocean.

Despite the latest setback, CEO Boyan Slat is adamant this is a speed hump rather than a road block

Environment

Ocean Cleanup Project drags its fractured plastic-catching barrier in for repairs

Things aren't exactly going to plan for the Ocean Cleanup Project. Inspections of the approximately 600-meter-long barrier have uncovered a problematic break in the chain, prompting a return to shore for repairs.