Existing Cleanup Efforts — Ocean Cleanup & Others
Existing Cleanup Efforts & Organizations
The Ocean Cleanup (Netherlands)
Overview
- Founded: 2013 by Boyan Slat (Dutch inventor, was 18 at founding)
- Origin: Slat was scuba diving in Greece at 16, saw more plastic than fish
- Headquarters: Rotterdam, Netherlands (originated at TU Delft)
- Status: The most advanced ocean plastic cleanup operation in the world
- Goal: Remove 90% of floating ocean plastic by 2040
Funding History
- 2014: Indiegogo campaign raised $2.15M from 38K backers in 160 countries
- 2014: Published 530-page feasibility study (70 scientists/engineers)
- Since then: Grown to $35+ million nonprofit
- Multiple rounds of donations, grants, corporate partnerships
Technology Evolution
- System 001 (Wilson): First deployment 2018, had structural issues
- System 002 (Jenny): Successful, proven collection at scale
- System 03: Deployed May 2023. 2,250m barrier, 5x capacity of System 002
- Uses U-shaped floating barriers that concentrate plastic for collection
- GPS buoy tracking on ghost nets to study drift patterns
- ADIS (Aerial Debris Imaging System) on boats
- AI-powered aerial drones for hotspot detection
- Infrared sensors for nighttime detection (tested in South Africa)
Results
- Total removed: 50+ million kg (as of Jan 2026)
- 2025: 25 million kg (record year)
- Optimization: AI routing increases collection by 60%+ vs standard routing
- River interceptors deployed worldwide to stop plastic before it reaches ocean
Key Scientific Findings
- 75-86% of GPGP plastic originates from fishing activities at sea
- Published routing optimization studies
- Polymer rise velocity research (HDPE, LDPE, PP behavior)
- Environmental impact assessment of cleanup operations (Nature, 2025)
Relationship to The Claw
Not competition — complementary. The Ocean Cleanup focuses on collection. The Claw's unique angle is the processing station — what happens to the plastic after you collect it. Currently, Ocean Cleanup brings collected plastic to shore for processing. A floating processing station eliminates the logistics chain.Other Organizations
Ocean Voyages Institute
- Sailing vessel-based cleanup expeditions
- Removed 40+ tonnes in single expeditions
- Focus on ghost nets and large debris
- Uses satellite tracking to locate debris fields
- Smaller scale, expedition-based approach
4ocean
- Commercial cleanup company (sells bracelets to fund cleanup)
- Operates globally, multiple ocean regions
- More consumer-brand focused
- Has removed millions of pounds of trash
Healthy Seas
- Focus: Ghost net removal + recycling
- Collaborates with volunteer divers and fishing communities
- Retrieves nets from reefs and wreck sites
- Recycles recovered nets into Econyl yarn (used in clothing, carpets)
- Partnership with Aquafil (Italian nylon manufacturer)
- Interesting model: waste → commercial product pipeline
Oceanic Society
- 2025 Global Ocean Cleanup: 47+ tons removed
- Broader conservation mission
- Community volunteer-based
WWF — GhostNetZero
- AI-powered platform: ghostnetzero.ai
- Partnership with Microsoft AI for Good Lab and Accenture
- Analyzes high-resolution sonar data from seabed
- Automatically marks likely ghost net locations
- Makes worldwide sonar data actionable for cleanup teams
Marine Stewardship Council (MSC)
- Prevention-focused: reducing gear loss at source
- Gear modifications: escape hatches, biodegradable panels
- Weakened ropes for easier gear retrieval
- Ropeless technology: timer/trigger to surface pots on demand
Sea Shepherd
- Advocacy + direct action on fishing gear as primary ocean plastic source
- Highlighting fishing industry accountability
- More confrontational approach
Collection Technology Approaches
| Approach | Used By | How It Works | Pros | Cons |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Floating barrier | Ocean Cleanup | U-shaped barrier concentrates debris | Proven at scale, passive current use | Doesn't go deep, misses microplastics |
| Trawl/net systems | Various expeditions | Boats drag collection nets | Simple, effective for large debris | Active fuel cost, bycatch risk |
| Sailing vessel | Ocean Voyages Institute | GPS-guided sailing to debris fields | Low fuel cost, proven | Small scale, weather dependent |
| Fishnet-harvesting buoy | Research concept (2024) | Passive buoy catches ghost nets via entanglement, wind-driven rotation | Zero energy, autonomous | Unproven at scale |
| Diver teams | Healthy Seas | Human divers retrieve nets from reefs/wrecks | Precise, reef-safe | Dangerous, very small scale |
| AI sonar detection | WWF/Microsoft | AI analyzes seabed sonar for net locations | Scales globally, uses existing data | Detection only, not removal |
| Aerial drones | Ocean Cleanup | AI cameras identify surface hotspots | Fast coverage, infrared for night | Surface only |
| Conveyor/mechanical | Proposed | Underwater conveyor belt system | Continuous operation | NOT YET RESEARCHED |
What's Missing (The Claw's Opportunity)
1. No at-sea processing — everyone collects and ships to shore 2. No integrated collection + processing platform — all approaches separate these 3. No central coordination hub — each org works independently 4. No unified research platform — data is scattered across institutions 5. Microplastic problem unsolved — current systems focus on macro/mega debris 6. Ghost net processing — nets are the biggest mass component but hardest to recycle
The Claw fills gaps #1, #2, #3, and #4.