Boyan Slat’s Plan to Rid the Oceans of Plastic

Article Written By: Jason Kyungjin Park

In 2013, Boyan Slat founded the non-profit organization The Ocean Cleanup with the mission to develop advanced technologies in order to rid the oceans of plastic. Plastic accumulates in the 5 ocean garbage patches, with the Great Pacific Garbage Patch being the largest. Slat’s solution exploits oceanic forces to develop a passive system and the NBC News have dubbed his effort as “the first real plan to try to clean things up.” The following article will provide an insight into the technology behind System 001 and how it aims to create a plastic-free ocean by 2050.

System 001 consists of a 600-meter-long floater that is placed on the surface of the water. It has a 3-meter-deep skirt that is attached below. The floater would provide buoyancy to the system and prevent plastic from flowing over, while the skirt would prevent microplastic debris from escaping underneath. System 001 operates passively as it uses the natural oceanic forces to its advantage. Both the plastic and System 001 are being carried by the current. However, the wind and wave will only propel the system as it is placed above the water, while the plastic is beneath the system. This allows the system to move at a faster rate than the plastic, suggesting that the plastic will be captured.

The next step for the system is to concentrate the plastic within the U-shaped floater. The natural forces will move the system faster than the plastic and allow it to be captured in the center of the system. The U-shaped floater allows the plastic to accumulate in the center of the system. Occasionally, a vessel ship will remove the collected plastic. The plastic will be processed on land and prepare for recycling.

So what are the expected outcomes of System 001? The floating systems are designed to capture both larger plastics and microplastic. Several models and extrapolated data sets indicate that full-scale employment of the system would clean half of the Great Pacific Garbage Patch in just five years.

This ambitious plan has received millions of dollars for funding from various companies that want to support Slat and his entity. Despite the widespread admiration Slat has received for his invention, there are a few factors worth considering to effectively evaluate its long term goals.

The system being implemented at sea brings possible questions to mind. Vessel traffic is one of the less obvious issues. No heavily-trafficked shipping routes traverse the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, indicating that the chances of a vessel coming across an ocean cleanup system are minimal. To counter the possible drawback, The Ocean Cleanup will attach lanterns, radar reflectors, navigational tools, GPS, and anti-collision beacons. There will also be continuous broadcasting of the location of the system for passing vessels.

Furthermore, there are many concerns about the safety of marine life. The system, as Slat claims, will move through the ocean at extremely slow speeds, allowing for sea creatures to advert their direction. Moreover, the screen is impenetrable, which means that the current will flow under the screen. This would push marine creatures downwards. The Ocean Cleanup has completed the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) and considered to be safe for the environment.

Storms are also an issue that the system may face. Luckily, the system has been engineered to withstand forces of the ocean. It has successfully passed a tow test in the Pacific Ocean.

Just recently, System 001 was first launched from Francisco Bay and is headed towards the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. For further information regarding the system’s current position click here. With these features and advanced technologies, the plan put forth by The Ocean Cleanup seems to be promising.

Bibliography (MLA 8 FORMAT):

Website Citations:

Website 1:

Ocean Cleanup. “System 001 Has Launched into the Pacific.” The Ocean Cleanup, 2018, www.theoceancleanup.com/updates/system-001-has-launched-into-the-pacific/.

Website 2:

Perrigo, Billy. “Boyan Slat: Dutch Inventor To Launch Ocean Plastic Cleanup.” Time, Time, 7 Sept. 2018, time.com/5389782/boyan-slat-plastic-ocean-cleanup/.

Photo Citations:

Photo 1:

Impulse, Solar. “Solution to Ocean Pollution: Boyan Slat Launches System 001 of The Ocean Cleanup.” Fondation Solar Impulse, 7 Sept. 2018, solarimpulse.com/news/view/boyan-slat-patron-of-the-solar-impulse-foundation-is-launching-system-001-of-the-ocean-cleanup.