The Ocean Cleanup successfully catches plastic in Great Pacific Garbage Patch

The Ocean Cleanup has announced its latest prototype system has successfully captured and collected plastic debris.

After a year of testing, the organisation’s engineers have succeeded in developing a self-contained system in the Great Pacific Garbage patch that is using the natural forces of the ocean to passively catch and concentrate plastic.

The prototype, System 001/B, is The Ocean Cleanup’s second attempt to prove its concept of collected waste from the Great Pacific Garbage Patch.

In addition to collecting plainly visible pieces of plastic debris, as well as much larger ghost nets associated with commercial fishing, the latest system has also successfully captures microplastics as small as one millimetre.

Boyan Slat, Founder and CEO of The Ocean Cleanup, said: “After beginning this journey seven years ago, this first year of testing in the unforgivable environment of the high seas strongly indicates that our vision is attainable and that the beginning of our mission to rid the ocean of plastic waste, which has accumulated for decades, is within our sights.”

“Our team has remained steadfast in its determination to solve immense technical challenges to arrive at this point.”

“Though we still have much more work to do, I am eternally grateful for the team’s commitment and dedication to the mission and look forward to continuing to the next phase of development.”