CLEAN-UP IN THE PACIFIC’S PLASTIC VORTEX

Entrepreneurs Turn Plastic Waste into Fuel
Heda Bayron, 22 July 2009 (Voice of America)

"Plastic waste is swamping Asia's landfills, and some ends up at sea, harming marine life. Now, environmentalists and entrepreneurs are attempting to recycle plastic back to its main component - oil.

"In the northern Pacific Ocean, scientists say a large pool of plastic waste half the size of the U.S. state of Texas, weighing 300 million tons, is threatening marine life. Ocean currents carried the waste from north Asia and North America."

No, it's not an outtake from "The Hangover" - it's real. (click to enlarge)

"Doug Woodring leads Project Kaisei - a small group of conservationists and entrepreneurs from Hong Kong, California and London, who aim to recycle the plastic into diesel fuel…This summer, the organization will bring its boat, the Kaisei (or ocean planet in Japanese), to the so-called plastic vortex…

"Most of the plastic waste that ends up in the ocean comes from land. Landfills are running out space and people throw debris into the water…In Thailand's Rayong municipality, Single Point Energy and Environment recycles plastic waste into liquid fuel that is then sold to oil refineries…"

Unfortunately, what drifts into the Vortex stays in the Vortex. (image from Wikipedia - click thru for more into)

"Up to 10 tons of plastic waste, such as shopping bags and parts of appliances, toys, computers and office equipment can be fed into the recycling machine a day. That becomes 28 barrels of liquid fuel, which can be used directly in machinery, motorcycles and heating systems…

"After warnings from environmentalists, governments in Asia are beginning to address the problem of plastic waste…[with taxes]… But few governments are moving into directly recycling plastic into fuel…[T]he recycling machine costs $2 million…"