the ocean cleanup

the ocean cleanup develops advanced technologies to rid the world’s oceans of plastic. founded in 2013 by boyan slat, the ocean cleanup now employs approximately 95 engineers and researchers. the foundation is headquartered in rotterdam, the netherlands. instead of going after plastic debris with vessels and nets – which would take many thousands of years and billions of dollars to complete – the ocean cleanup plans to deploy a fleet of long floating barriers that act as an artificial coastline, enabling the winds, waves, and currents to passively catch and concentrate the plastic. once fully operational, the full fleet of passive collection systems is expected to remove 50% of the great pacific garbage patch every five years’ time.