Term Paper on "Problem With the Ocean Cleanup"

Term Paper 3 pages (1172 words) Sources: 0

[EXCERPT] . . . .

Plastic in the Ocean

A gyre is a large system of rotating currents within the ocean. There are five major currents/gyres that often associated with the movement of the wind. The author of this article, Stiv J. Wilson, is responding to a recent proposal known as the "Ocean Cleanup Array." The idea of this proposal is to have barges line the radius of the five gyres and let the currents bring the massive amounts of plastic in the ocean to them, collect it (clean up the ocean), and recycle it. The person proposing this solution, Boyan Slat, pretty much outlines a relatively simple solution of harvesting plastic and also states that such a harvest would be safe and not harm life in the sea. Slat estimates that it would take at least five years per gyre to effectively cleanup the plastic. At least part of the cost can be recouped by recycling the estimated 7,250,000,000 kg of plastic in the ocean.

Wilson views the proposal as a way to simplistic. He basically states that the problem is much more complex and that the proposal simply proposes that we just go collect the garbage like garbage collectors. Wilson says this will not work for several reasons and he offers the following problems with this proposal:

1. No serious scientist or policy action believes that these "gyre cleanup programs" (the Ocean Cleanup Array is not the first such program) are realistic because they give the impression we can continue to consume and litter and just clean it up.

2. The ocean is too big, the currents to unpredictable, and to try and sit at the ends of the gyre is far too dangerous for this solution to be practical. When efforts similar to the Ocean Cleanup Array been tried they did not work as the crews had to abandon their efforts.

3. Despite the notion that life would be spared in such a cleanup, this is not true. Plankton move with the current, other animals that feed on plankton follow the plankton, and animals that feed on them follow the current. More realistic looks at these proposals indicate that this would be dangerous to animals.

4. The idea that recycling the plastic is a feasible method of recouping some of the cost is totally unrealistic based on how much actual money could be recouped, the difficulties collecting plastic, transporting it to recycling centers, etc.

Many aspects of Wilson's critique to the proposal are realistic and his acclamation of how plastic breaks down in the ocean, examples of where similar efforts have not been able to work out, and so forth are convincing. Wilson does not dispute the fact that the pollution of the oceans with plastic is a major issue that has serious ramifications in the future. Wilson clearly points out that the so-called "garbage patches" of plastic collected as the currents move are not simply there for the taking. This would be an expensive and dangerous undertaking and it is doubtful that it could be effectively organized.

So what does Wilson propose? He discusses the notion of Gyre Memory. Upon each orbit of a gyre the gyre will spit out half of its contents. Those contents either end up in the other gyres or wash up on land. Thus, Wilson believes that you really do not need to go out and get the plastic but it will simply "come to you." So eventually gyres will spit out and it will end up being washed up on beaches.… READ MORE

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