Plastic pollution in the oceans is one of the planet’s most urgent ecological challenges, yet promising progress is emerging. Large floating accumulations of plastic, including those in the Pacific, could be reduced significantly. An international nonprofit organization is proving this with its methods. The giant “islands” of waste are essentially floating trash piles, held together by nets and buoyant devices that drift across sea currents.
The pace of cleanup is slow because the sheer scale of plastic at sea is enormous, but the amount removed by the oceans cleanup efforts looks encouraging. The work inspires optimism that a sizeable portion of floating plastic can be addressed over time, reducing harm to marine life and coastal communities.
100 million kilos of garbage
Originating in the Netherlands and now operating globally, the nonprofit has removed no less than 100,000 kilograms of plastic in a single year from the vast Pacific garbage patch, which is estimated to contain as much as 100,000,000 kilograms in total. These figures illustrate the scale but also the potential impact of sustained action.
With an initial year of activity, the organization notes that about one thousandth of the massive island was cleared. If this rate could be repeated a thousand more times, the island could be dramatically reduced. It remains a difficult undertaking, yet it is within the realm of possibility with continued effort and innovation.
How does the nonprofit operate? Its approach centers on deploying extensive circular nets supported by floating buoys to capture waste at sea, which is then collected and transferred to ships for processing and disposal. This system emphasizes large-scale capture and efficient transfer rather than piecemeal cleanup.
Last year, the organization drew global attention with a networked system called System 002, or Jenny, which began gathering plastic in the North Pacific. A new phase is on the horizon with System 003, designed to gather ten times more material than its predecessor, reflecting a commitment to scaling up throughput and impact.
Now that the technology has proven its viability, the team is ready to advance to the expanded System 003, which is expected to capture plastic at a rate potentially ten times higher than System 002, achieved through a bigger footprint, improved efficiency, and greater uptime.
Eliminate big plastic island by 2040
The floating systems are designed to collect plastics ranging from microscopic fragments to large debris, including tens of meters wide ghost nets that drift beneath the surface. The plan calls for ten full systems to address the vast expanse of the Pacific garbage patch.
The organization aims to remove 90 percent of floating plastic in the ocean by 2040, a bold target that would transform the health of marine ecosystems and coastal economies. The strategic roadmap emphasizes sustained deployment and continuous improvement of capture and recovery methods.
One proposed action is to use a Dutch invention called the Great Bubble Barrier. This technology would lift debris from the seafloor back to the surface and could be adapted for marine use, expanding the toolkit for plastic recovery beyond rivers into open waters. The principle is simple: introduce bubbles to guide lightweight waste upward toward collection points, enabling more efficient removal.
In practice, the barrier works by pumping air through a submerged pipe to create upward bubble curtains that carry plastic toward the surface. This hydraulic method could complement net-based collection and improve overall recovery, especially for plastics that have settled in shallower silt.
Environment stakeholders have discussed several implementation steps and potential collaborations to accelerate progress, focusing on scalable, low-impact solutions that maintain ocean health and support resilient communities.
Contact and coordination details have been handled through official channels to ensure appropriate oversight and accountability, aligning with best practices for environmental stewardship and transparency in international cleanup efforts. All information is reported through responsible organizations and recognized authorities in marine conservation. (Cited sources: Ocean Cleanup, 2023; Global Ocean Action Network, 2024)