After deploying their latest Interceptor Barricade, known as Interceptor 006, the Ocean Cleanup organization has prevented a total of around 856,973 kg of trash from entering the Caribbean Sea, marking an impressive start to their latest venture. To achieve this impressive feat, the organization has installed its latest Interceptor 006 in Las Vacas River in Guatemala, which often experiences 'trash tsunamis' that pollute both the river and the surrounding environment.
It works via the use of two heavy-duty floating booms which are anchored in moorings to the riverbank of the river, helping to capture any oncoming plastic flowing downstream. Even better, it still works when the river floods, making it the perfect solution for preventing any plastic from reaching the ocean. Stopping it before it reaches the ocean prevents the plastic from further harming any marine life, for example, when some of the animals choke or get tangled up in the plastic. This is important not only for marine life, but the human food chain too.
Image Credits: The Ocean Cleanup.
As a result, the team at the Ocean Cleanup hopes that their technology will enable the prevention of plastic waste entering the ocean and help to end any "trash flooding" in the Gulf of Honduras. While ambitious, the team has solid plans to achieve this. Soon, they will be expanding their technology across the country to help stop plastic pollution in other areas and hotspots. All of this aligns with their other current missions, which see other versions of their Interceptors trawling other parts of the ocean to gather plastic pollution. For example, their 002 System has allowed them to clear over 100,000kg of garbage from the Pacific Ocean Garbage Patch, which is an incredible feat to say the least.
Image Credits: The Ocean Cleanup
Boyan Slat, founder and CEO of The Ocean Cleanup made the following statement: “We are delighted with the positive start Interceptor 006 has made, with around 250 truckloads of trash already prevented from reaching the Caribbean Sea. Now we await the real test: a heavy flood and a trash tsunami bringing hundreds of tons of plastic in just a few hours – in the hope that we can fully validate our solution and end these yearly floods of plastic into the Caribbean Sea.’’
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