Why the Ocean Cleanup Hasn't Solved the Plastic Pollution Crisis

In a 2019 field test, The Ocean Cleanup’s system captured large amounts of surface-dwelling marine life—neuston—alongside plastic, prompting marine ecologists such as Dr. Rebecca Helm to warn that the operation could kill hundreds of organisms. Critics argue the technology’s design fundamentally misinterprets the Great Pacific Garbage Patch and that, despite redesigns claiming lower wildlife impact, the project has yet to achieve its stated goal of removing ocean plastic.