00:00Dutch engineers deployed 2.2-kilometer device to clean Great Pacific Garbage Patch.
00:06In October 2019, the Ocean Cleanup Project made headlines when its prototype vessel started collecting plastic from the Great Pacific Garbage Patch.
00:15Since then, the organization has evolved through several iterations, from System 001B to System 002, and now System 03.
00:25System 03 features floating wings extending to 2.2 kilometers, a significant upgrade from System 02's 800-meter length.
00:34It consists of two vessels towing a barrier that guides garbage into a retention zone.
00:39The team has implemented measures to protect marine life, including larger mesh sizes and various protocols.
00:45They're now using AI to locate debris hotspots in the ocean, recognizing that location is as crucial as method.
00:52Addressing the source, the Ocean Cleanup developed the Interceptor Line, a system that traps plastic in rivers before reaching oceans.
01:00Their research shows about 1,000 rivers contribute to 80% of riverine plastic emissions.
01:06By June 2023, they had deployed 20 interceptors across nine countries and removed over 29 million kilograms of trash.
01:15The team's 30 cities program aims to scale interceptions citywide with municipal partners.
01:21In one remarkable instance, an interceptor barricade in Guatemala stopped 1.4 million kilograms of waste in a single night.
01:29Despite these successes, the project remains controversial.
01:33Marine biologists worry about harm to surface-dwelling marine life, with studies suggesting impacts ranging from mild to severe, depending on operational design.
01:42The Ocean Cleanup continues to address these concerns through ongoing redesigns while working toward its goal of reducing ocean plastic by one-third by 2030.
01:52While the newest system proves effective, balancing cleanup efforts with ecological preservation remains their ongoing challenge.
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