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Allen Samuels Designs Device to Rid Oceans of Plastic

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Stamps Professor and Dean Emeritus Allen Samuels has proposed a simple, low tech floating device that could help remove the 9 billion tons of plastic that is placed in the ocean each year. 

I am not seeking any reward. I am simply offering my design in hope that it can be further refined, fabricated and tested,” said Samuels. 

This C” shaped, foam device can be scaled up or down. The version shown here is 100 yards across and is 16 feet high in section. A collection net is located in the center and a collection tray is located at the front. When towed through a debris area, plastic would be collected and contained in a net located within the C”. While plastic is captured and contained fish escape through the bottom of the net. Once full, each net can be removed from the unit and placed on a barge or processing ship or transported to shore. A new net would then be fastened in place ready for another pass.