The Ocean Cleanup

Description

The Ocean Cleanup is a non-profit environmental engineering organization dedicated to developing and implementing technologies to extract plastic pollution from the oceans and rivers. For over ten years, The Ocean Cleanup has been researching, extracting, and monitoring plastic pollution in oceans and rivers globally – with millions of kilograms removed to date. Its technologies supporting ocean cleanup act as large-scale floating barriers, designed to concentrate plastic debris within a specific area for collection. They utilize ocean currents and wind to move through the water, gathering plastic along their path. The systems are also equipped with solar panels and wind turbines to power their operations. It also deploys floating barriers in rivers to intercenpt and prevent plastic from entering the oceans. The Ocean Cleanup also closely monitors and analyzes impacts, provides a dashboard and data insights, and is engaged in research on improving envrionmental impact analyses. The Ocean Cleanup aims to tackle plastic pollution in order to protect and restore marine and riverine environments and the wildlife they contain – as well as benefit the human communities living alongside these areas, and reliant on these ecosystems for their livelihoods.

What Makes it Regenerative?

• supports ecosystem remediation
• supports animal wellbeing
• supports human wellbeing
• enables knowledge and learning
• expands context
• enables monitoring & measuring

Business Model

The Ocean Cleanup is a non profit organization which primarily receives financial support from individuals, corporations, and foundations. It may also receive government grants as well as through collaborations with companies and institutions which provide resources and expertise.

Risks & Limitations

• Potential for unintended chemical leaching or other additional harms to marine life through collection process
• Weather and ocean conditions difficult for large technological deployments
• Costs and funding uncertainties