Plastic pollution in the oceans is escalating, with projections suggesting that by the next decade, there could be more plastic than fish in our waters. Amidst this crisis, The Ocean Cleanup, a crowd-funded initiative, has emerged with ambitious plans to tackle the issue.
Despite raising over 1 billion Swedish kronor, recent findings have cast doubt on the effectiveness of their efforts. A controversial video showcasing the collection of 3.8 tons of plastic waste was criticized by marine biologists for the unusually clean appearance of the debris, suggesting it may not have been in the ocean for long.
The Ocean Cleanup defended its methods, attributing the lack of marine growth on the plastic to nutrient-poor waters in the area. However, skepticism remains regarding the efficacy of their current techniques. The organization continues to innovate and develop new technologies aimed at improving plastic collection in the ocean, highlighting the ongoing challenges in combating marine pollution.