After years of development, the cleaning project by the non-profit organization Ocean Cleanup started its work on purging the ocean of plastic garbage on September 8.
The 600-meter long device uses tidal patterns to drift into areas of high plastic garbage concentration, forming a V-shaped barrier to net trash that can later be collected and recycled. Fish and other sea creatures can swim beneath the nets.
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If the system proves successful, the company will launch a fleet of such devices to clear most of the ocean's waters.