There are 5 different areas in the world that are said to be the main locations where ocean currents eventually concentrate plastic particles.
The largest of those is believed to be the Great Pacific garbage patch, or North Pacific Gyre.
Dutch inventor and entrepreneur Boyan Slat is the one behind The Ocean Cleanup project and he's devised a system of trash-collecting booms that are expected to be launched in the next few months.
Collecting 50 percent of the garbage in 5 years
Slat gave a TED talk more than 5 years ago, titled How the Oceans Can Clean Themselves, and he's been working on trying to fulfill his dream of cleaning-up the ocean ever since, despite many naysayers along the way.
The total cost of the endeavor, for collecting trash over the next 5 years, is estimated to be somewhere around $320 million.
This is the year that they hope will prove their vision a success.
Eventually, with all of that plastic that they collect out of the ocean, they want to then recycle it so that it can be used for producing things like chairs, eyeglasses, car bumpers, and other items.
Pics:
via earthDecks
pixabay
Sources:
https://www.thesun.co.uk/tech/6119743/worlds-first-ocean-plastic-cleaning-machine-to-gobble-up-great-pacific-garbage-patch/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Pacific_garbage_patch
https://www.fastcompany.com/40419899/boy-genius-boyan-slats-giant-ocean-cleanup-machine-is-real
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/ocean-plastic-cleanup-machine-great-pacific-garbage-patch-launch-boyan-slat-a8317226.html