University Report: Analysis of the Ocean Cleanup System Technology

This report provides an in-depth analysis of the Ocean Cleanup System, an innovative technological solution designed to combat plastic pollution and marine debris. The report begins with an introduction highlighting the growing environmental concerns related to plastic usage and its detrimental effects on ocean ecosystems. It then discusses the need for effective ocean management and the impact of various pollutants, including plastic waste, on marine life. The core of the report focuses on the Ocean Cleanup System (System 001), describing its design, the process of innovation, and the steps involved in its operation. The report also addresses the potential risks associated with the system's implementation. The report concludes by emphasizing the significance of the Ocean Cleanup System in maintaining global environmental sustainability and the necessity for businesses and governmental agencies to adopt eco-friendly practices. The report includes references to support the claims and findings.

Running head: EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES AND INNOVATION
Emerging Technologies and Innovation
Name of Student
Name of University
Author Note

1EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES AND INNOVATION
Table of Contents
Introduction:...............................................................................................................................3
Discussion:.................................................................................................................................3
Innovation:.................................................................................................................................5
Process of innovation and steps:................................................................................................5
Probable Risks:...........................................................................................................................6
Conclusion:................................................................................................................................6
References:.................................................................................................................................7

2EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES AND INNOVATION
Ocean Clean up – Technology towards a sustainable tomorrow
Introduction:
The increased usage of the plastic in the recent years has contributed to enormous
pollution and that is prominent with the declining environmental sustainability. Majority of
the manufacturing and service industries are observed to be largely inclined towards the
consumption of the plastic for their business activities starting from the manufacturing of the
products to packaging of the products. Having said that, North and Halden (2013) claimed
that the increment in the usage of the plastic in the household operations is also notably
evident. On the other hand, Webb et al. (2013) raised an important concern with the claim
that the increased disposal of the plastic along with other solid state pollutants in the water of
oceans has certainly increased in a noteworthy manner in recent years and that have
contributed to the decline of the environmental sustainability. According to the comments of
North and Halden (2013), mankind have deposited considerable amount of waste to the
oceans in last 50 to 60 years, however, it is time to take them back for providing a brighter
future to the next generation. With a precise consideration of the statement, the study
elaborates regarding an important innovation which is Ocean Cleanup System. The system is
designed to clean up the plastic and other pollutants affecting the eco logical balance of the
oceans.
Discussion:
The efficient management of the condition of the ocean is seen to be an important
aspect for the modern environmentalists. The survival of the underwater creatures is largely
dependent of the extent of pollution affecting the water of oceans. With a precise look at the
increasing exchange of the logistics and supply chain activities through maritime
transportation, it is understandable that the disposal of the oil and other pollutants into the

3EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES AND INNOVATION
water, is decreasing the eco logical balance of the oceans. Along with that, the increased
usage of plastic has become a major point of concern as the disposal of the plastic wastages is
affecting the quality of the ocean environment. According to a report of UNESCO on marine
pollution, the land based sources which includes the agricultural wastages, nutritional
discharge, inappropriately treated sewage such as plastics along with pesticides are the reason
of 80% of the marine pollution (Unesco.org. 2019). The report states that there are more than
500 dead zones developed from the marine pollutants and that covers an area of 245,000 km²
globally (Unesco.org. 2019). As mentioned earlier, the increment in the generation of plastic
is one of the main reason that contributes to the increased usage of the same. In such
situation, the statistics of plastic production of more than 220 million each year is massive
point of concern for the considerable number of environmentalists across the globe
(Unesco.org. 2019). The detrimental impact of the marine debris is pretty prominent with the
fact that it is the reason of death for more than one million seabirds every year and at the
same time, it also causes death to approximately 100000 marine mammals (Unesco.org.
2019).
With a precise consideration towards the disposal characteristics of the plastic wastes,
it is understandable that the increasing tendency of the governments in recycling the wastes,
is visible. In the year 2010, 16% of the total wastes were seen to be recycled and in the year
2015, the percentile value of recycled wastes increased to 19.60% (Ritchie and Roser 2019).
On the other hand, the quantity of the incinerated waste in the year 2010 was 22% of the total
waste and that in the year 2015 went up to 25.5% (Ritchie and Roser 2019). Other than this,
the quantity of wastes disposed in discarded manner also went down in a significant manner
and that certainly portrays the knowledge of the modern individuals regarding the
environmental sustainability and the sense of urgency in managing the wastes in appropriate
manner for a better and bright future.

4EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES AND INNOVATION
Innovation:
With a precise look at such a significant challenge, it is understandable that strict
implementation of the control procedures and an appropriate roll back of the wastes from the
water is much needed for maintaining the environmental sustainability. With such a large
scale problem, the application of the technology and the innovative ideas is seen to be much
required. The System 001 is one such innovative idea implemented by a non profit
organization of Netherlands named as Ocean Cleanup (Papadopoulos et al. 2014). The
creation is recognized as the first ocean cleanup system designed for extracting the solid state
pollutants and plastic pollutants out of the water. The presence of innovation in the machine
is petty prominent with the snake like tabular design of it which incudes approximately 2000
ft long U shaped floating obstacle along with a skirt of 10 ft length attached below
(Papadopoulos et al. 2014). In addition to this, the incorporation of the innovative ideas in the
design of the machine is evident with the consideration of the impact of both wind and wave.
Process of innovation and steps:
With a precise look at the design of the machine, it is evident that the main objective
of the designers is to develop such a machine which will look like skimming the surface of
the ocean as that will ensue larger efficiency in taking out the pollutant substances out of the
ocean in an effective manner. With a precise consideration towards such an objective, the
designers prepared the 2000 ft long U shaped floating barrier which is connected to a 10 ft
long skirt at the bottom to make sure that the plastics and debris are caught in an efficient
manner and the process is not letting any sort pollutant substances stay on the water
(Papadopoulos et al. 2014). Apart from this, the designers were able to anticipate the concern
of reckless wind and wave affecting the smooth process of screening of the machine. In such
situation, the designers of the Ocean Cleanup were able to align the innovative ideas in the

5EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES AND INNOVATION
design of the machine t make sure that it is propelled with the impact of both wind and
waves.
Probable Risks:
With a precise look at the innovation, it is visible that it is the first time that it is the
first time that such a machine will be introduced for a specific cause of extracting the plastic
wastes out of the water. Hence, the tentative approach associated with the launch of the
machine is a point of concern. In addition to this, the lack of prior research with the parts of
the machine in a similar climate t that of the destination, has the potential to decrease the
success of the company in controlling the existences of the pollutants and plastic on water. As
there is no prior evaluation of the resistance that the parts of the machine are to show under
the adverse climate and weather condition of the destination, the danger of technical
breakdown in the machine is prominent at all instances. For enhancing the quality of the
environment, the business society is required to manage their disposal in an eco friendly
manner and at the same time, the governmental agencies are required to supervise the
compliance of the business organizations with the framed environmental legislations.
Conclusion:
On an ending note, it is understandable that the System 001 is the first machine
designed for taking out the garbage and pollutant substances from the water of ocean. The
accomplishment of the objective is important for maintaining the global environmental
sustainability. The design of the System 001 is seen to be unique for the purpose of cleaning
out the plastics and pollutant garbage and that is evident with the its flexibility in managing
the impact of the wave and wind over the smooth conduct of its operational activities.

6EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES AND INNOVATION
References:
North, E.J. and Halden, R.U., 2013. Plastics and environmental health: the road ahead.
Reviews on environmental health, 28(1), pp.1-8.
Papadopoulos, L., Young, C., Lang, F. and Lang, F. 2019. World’s First Ocean Cleanup
System Heads For Largest Ocean Garbage Patch. [online] Interestingengineering.com.
Available at: https://interestingengineering.com/worlds-first-ocean-cleanup-system-heads-
for-largest-ocean-garbage-patch
Ritchie and Roser 2019. Plastic Pollution. [online] Our World in Data. Available at:
https://ourworldindata.org/plastic-pollution
Unesco.org. 2019. Facts and figures on marine pollution | United Nations Educational,
Scientific and Cultural Organization. [online] Available at:
http://www.unesco.org/new/en/natural-sciences/ioc-oceans/focus-areas/rio-20-ocean/
blueprint-for-the-future-we-want/marine-pollution/facts-and-figures-on-marine-pollution/
Webb, H.K., Arnott, J., Crawford, R.J. and Ivanova, E.P., 2013. Plastic degradation and its
environmental implications with special reference to poly (ethylene terephthalate). Polymers,
5(1), pp.1-18.