System 001 / B collects plastic for the first time

This system was designed in 2012 by Bryan Slat, a Dutch teenager, and consists of a 600 meter long U-shaped barrier that captures waste - later recycled - from harnessing the strength of the currents.

It is located between California and Hawaii at the Great Pacific Waste Dump considered the largest accumulation of plastics in the world, as long as 17 times the size of Portugal and its islands.

After a failed first attempt, in which the machine was not performing its mission due to the speed with which it was moving, the problem was solved by placing an anchor that slows down the movement of the system, as well as an increase in the size of the cork line that ensures that the plastic does not get lost again in the ocean.

With the success of this operation, the next step is the creation of System 002 / B. This system will support and hold the plastic in water for a long time.

Source: Diário de Notícias