The plastic trash collected from the ocean is planned to be transformed into sustainable products
Image: The Ocean Cleanup device was deployed in June 2019 to collect plastic waste from ocean. Photo: courtesy of The Ocean Cleanup.
Dutch non-profit organisation The Ocean Cleanup has completed its first mission in the Great Pacific Garbage Patch by bringing the first batch of ocean plastic to shore.
The Ocean Cleanup founder and CEO Boyan Slat said that the plastic trash is planned to be transformed into sustainable products, and will be sold to help fund the continuation of the cleanup operations.
The organisation has teamed up with DNV GL, an international classification society, to confirm the origin of the future plastic products.
The collaboration allows DNV GL to verify the origin of the material used in The Ocean Cleanup’s products.
Sustainable products made from ocean plastic to be launched in September 2020
The Ocean Cleanup said that the products made from ocean plastic will be introduced in September 2020 with the details of the products will be revealed at the time of launch.
Slat said: “Welcoming the first catch of plastic on land is the moment we have been looking forward to for years. I believe we can use this trash to turn a problem into a solution by transforming this unique material into a beautiful product.
“As most people will never go to the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, through these products, we aim to give everyone the opportunity to take part in the clean-up.”
DNV GL business assurance CEO Luca Crisciotti said: “When purchasing products verified by DNV GL, consumers can fully trust that it is an ocean plastic product and that they are contributing to the solution.”
The Ocean Cleanup launched the first cleanup system, System 001, in September 2018, but, the system was failed after four months at sea.
Later, the organisation deployed a modified system, named System 001/B, in June 2019. The upgraded system has now produced the brought the batch of ocean plastic to shore.
The Ocean Cleanup is now preparing to design a full-scale, fully-operational system, named System 002, to retain collected plastic for long periods. The organisation is aiming to reduce plastic pollution in the sea by 90% by 2040.