http://gcaptain.com/maersk-supply-service-ahts-selected-to-deploy-worlds-first-large-scale-ocean-plastic-cleanup-system/

That's awesome. I had heard of experimental devices, but didn't realize they were actively targeting 50% every 5 yearrs

wow... thats needed.  Great news. Good find. Thanks.

This is good news.

Of course it would help if people stopped throwing plastic in rivers: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8PavA4rUypE

The world has all the plastic we will ever need. We just have to recycle it.

Earlier this year scientists announced that they have improved a naturally occurring enzyme, which will reduce plastic to its natural building blocks. There are many types of plastic and each type probably needs a different enzyme and needs to work on a large production scale. There is hope.

Very cool. I'd seen the sea-bins but they only seem to be good for harbours and other coastal points.

The Ocean Cleanup Technology

https://www.theoceancleanup.com/technology/

Floating pipe set to start massive ocean cleanup process

https://edition.cnn.com/2018/10/15/tech/ocean-cleanup-project/index.html

#Guatemala

I always love the critics the media quotes: this one dosen't like it because it ignores X, another says it won't work, yet another hates it because it might endanger sealife (as if the massive plastic patch isn't already endangering sea life.)

If you listen to all the critcs nobody will ever try anything, ever.  At least they are trying, it might fail, but by trying we will learn stuff.

Agreed. People are often suggesting doing nothing because the suggested solution is not perfect. People, this (in this case, environmental degradation, but it could be 50 other big problems) is a crisis - the criterion needs to be "better" not "perfect"

I'm inspired that someone is actually *trying* to do anything about this, which seemed like an insoluble (pardon the pun) problem

>somebody

Another one:

SodaStream launches ocean plastic cleanup effort in Honduras | The Times of Israel

https://www.timesofisrael.com/sodastream-launches-ocean-plastic-cleanup-effort-in-honduras/

Ocean-Saving Device to Clean Up Great Pacific Garbage Patch Breaks, Will Return to Port

https://weather.com/science/environment/news/2019-01-04-ocean-saving-device-broke-great-pacific-garbage-patch

*for repairs and upgrades.

I see this as a hopeful thing.  It means Wilson was actually our there doing what it was suppose to do and that they are actively improving it's ability.

Yeah, as the inventor said, you have to expect a few iterations with a new tech.

>supposed to do

Wilson pretty much failed in its job even before it broke.  It didn't drift fast enough to catch much of anything.  The developers modded it some on-the-fly, but no joy.  I'm hopeful that they have some mods in mind that will work.