Closing the tap: how Boyan Slat is intercepting trash before it reaches the ocean

Millions of tons of plastic enter the ocean every year, flowing through 10,000 rivers from all over the world, 377 of which can be found in the Philippines. It’s time for it to stop

Ten thousand rivers generate all the waste in the Pacific Ocean, and 377 are in the Philippines. Topping the list of the ten most polluting rivers in the world are the Pasig, Meycauayan, Tullahan and Pampanga rivers, creating large garbage patches that contain over 100,000,000 kilograms of plastic.

This enormous task could be daunting, but not to a few brave souls such as Boyan Slat, founder of The Ocean Cleanup. Slat applies two steps to fix it. First, clean the legacy waste. Second, close the tap and intercept any more plastic from getting to the ocean. Sounds simple and easy, given that just one per cent of rivers in the world are responsible for 80 per cent of the plastic in our oceans. But then again, that’s still a thousand rivers to plug up.

Above Plastic piled up on the San Gabriel River (Photo: Mark Rightmire/MediaNews Group/Orange County Register via Getty Images)

Plastic piled up on the San Gabriel River (Photo: Mark Rightmire/MediaNews Group/Orange County Register via Getty Images)

1 / 1

So, how does Slat plan on doing this? By attaching an 800-metre-long, three-metre-deep U-shaped barrier to two boats moving at less than two miles an hour, The Ocean Cleanup projects will be able to remove 90 per cent of floating ocean plastic by 2040. That’s the projection.

Step two is a little more complicated. It involves the Interceptors. To rid the ocean of plastic for good, Slat needs to ensure that no more plastic enters it with a fleet of Interceptors, a high-tech solution with solar-powered mechanics and innovative processing designed to keep trash out of the water. There are currently four variants of the Interceptor suited to different scenarios.

Above Boyan Slat’s Trash Interceptor at the mouth of Ballona Creek (Photo: Citizens of the Planet via Getty Images)

Boyan Slat’s Trash Interceptor at the mouth of Ballona Creek (Photo: Citizens of the Planet via Getty Images)

1 / 1

The Interceptor Original is the first of its kind. Developed in partnership with Konecranes, it boasts an autonomous system with a large cleaning capacity. Currently, it’s deployed in five locations: Malaysia, Indonesia, the Dominican Republic, Vietnam and the US (California).

The Interceptor Barrier features a floating barrier anchored in a massive U-shape to be placed on the mouth of a river. This is a buffer for removing trash before it even reaches the ocean.

The Interceptor Tender works together with the Interceptor Barrier. While the Barrier blocks trash, the Tender uses a conveyor belt to scoop it up and offload it into a dump truck on shore.

The Interceptor Trashfence is a chain link fence inspired by the avalanche protection systems in snowy mountains. Designed to withstand flash flood scenarios, the structure can effectively capture plastic and other waste in moving rivers. It’s being pilot tested in Guatemala’s most polluted river, the Rio Las Vacas.

Above A view of the paper, plastic and other garbage in the Pasig River (Photo: Artur Widak via Getty Images)

A view of the paper, plastic and other garbage in the Pasig River (Photo: Artur Widak via Getty Images)

1 / 1

Dubbed the most significant ocean clean-up in history, Slat continues to iterate his processes to win the war against plastic waste. It looks like that time is off their side as plastic continues to break down into smaller pieces, making it harder to clean up. But even without the luxury of time, they have garnered thousands of supporters and volunteers from around the world. Whether you’re part of a company that wants to support financially or a one-man volunteer, The Ocean Cleanup is open to all kinds of assistance.

NOW READ

What does it mean to live sustainably?

6 Filipino sustainability champions you must know

How TAO Philippines empowers local communities through sustainable tourism

Topics

Sustainability

Gabriel Bohol

Features Writer, Tatler Philippines

About

Gabriel found his passion for writing through poetry in high school. He sharpened his skills at Ateneo de Manila University and hopes to write a play worthy of Broadway one day. A self-proclaimed geek, he loves to spend his free time playing video games and board games. When he's not clicking heads on Valorant or roleplaying as a barbarian in Dungeons and Dragons, you can find him exploring art galleries or watching stage plays.

Work

A creative writer who writes about anything and everything, Gabriel loves to dive deep into the arts and culture scene—as well as going on long road trips for travel pieces.

You can reach him on Instagram at @gbohol for any leads, casual conversations or game invites.