Cleaning Plastic Waste from Rivers (The Ocean Cleanup)
The Ocean Cleanup have been developing a technological solution to cleaning plastic from the world's oceans. On Saturday was revealed the secret project they have been working on for four or five years: how to stop river-borne plastic debris from reaching the oceans.
The result is The Interceptor, a fully-autonomous, solar-powered system for cleaning rivers of floating waste.
If you can afford the time, make yourself a cup of tea or coffee, and watch the video of the launch event. It's nearly 26 minutes long, but it explains the problem, and demonstrates the solution, far better than I could by pointing you at shorter clips or text pages. It is a very easy watch, even if Boyan Slat, the organisation's founder, does sound a little smug on occasions -- but he has every right to be: what they have created is amazing.
"Boyan Slat unveils The Ocean Cleanup Interceptor"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KyZArQMFhQ4
If you don't have time for that video, there is a text summary, and links to further information, available on their website:
https://theoceancleanup.com/updates/the-ocean-cleanup-unveils-plan-to-address-the-main-source-of-ocean-plastic-pollution-rivers/
Being at the intersection of engineering and environmental issues, this is right up my street! If you would like to learn more, look at their website, and also these (short!) YouTube videos which show a lot more of the story.
The prototype system:
RIVERS | INTERCEPTOR 001 | Cleaning In Jakarta
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P6bHhCNj6Fg
The first production system -- which also shows how the Interceptor can be shipped around the world in shipping containers and assembled on site:
RIVERS | INTERCEPTOR 002 | Cleaning In Malaysia
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EkQLwcYhBu4
The result is The Interceptor, a fully-autonomous, solar-powered system for cleaning rivers of floating waste.
If you can afford the time, make yourself a cup of tea or coffee, and watch the video of the launch event. It's nearly 26 minutes long, but it explains the problem, and demonstrates the solution, far better than I could by pointing you at shorter clips or text pages. It is a very easy watch, even if Boyan Slat, the organisation's founder, does sound a little smug on occasions -- but he has every right to be: what they have created is amazing.
"Boyan Slat unveils The Ocean Cleanup Interceptor"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KyZArQMFhQ4
If you don't have time for that video, there is a text summary, and links to further information, available on their website:
https://theoceancleanup.com/updates/the-ocean-cleanup-unveils-plan-to-address-the-main-source-of-ocean-plastic-pollution-rivers/
Being at the intersection of engineering and environmental issues, this is right up my street! If you would like to learn more, look at their website, and also these (short!) YouTube videos which show a lot more of the story.
The prototype system:
RIVERS | INTERCEPTOR 001 | Cleaning In Jakarta
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P6bHhCNj6Fg
The first production system -- which also shows how the Interceptor can be shipped around the world in shipping containers and assembled on site:
RIVERS | INTERCEPTOR 002 | Cleaning In Malaysia
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EkQLwcYhBu4
