The Ocean Clean Up Foundation , backed by filter co - founder Peter Thiel and former chief executive Marc Benioff , is set to pilot its plastic - catching filter in the Pacific next year , following successful tests in the North Sea . The system , dubbed Boomy McBoomFace , has cone - shaped filters which filter out plastics , which are then collected and taken to shore for recycling . Founder ##y Slat estimates it will take several years to clean up 90 % of the plastic in large collections called filters .
The Ocean Clean Up Foundation, backed by PayPal co-founder Peter Thiel and Salesforce chief executive Marc Benioff, is set to pilot its plastic-catching filter in the Pacific next year, following successful tests in the North Sea. The system, dubbed Boomy McBoomFace, has v-shaped screens which filter out plastics, which are then collected and taken to shore for recycling. Founder Boyan Slat estimates it will take 20 years to clean up 90% of the plastic in large collections called gyres.