File:Plastics harvesting nets.png

English: A schematic showing the concept of modular plastic harvesting nets for merchant vessels. Using regular merchant vessels (rather than just professional companies) in the harvesting of ocean plastics (see http://www.projectkaisei.org/) in the plastic vortex as well as in other places (eg Sargasso Sea, ...) would heavily accelerate the cleaning up of these areas in the ocean. Using a modular system would allow the implementation on a wide range of vessels. It would be economically profitable as each vessel would be able to harvest 0,3583 million barrels of oily fuel, which equals around 32,5 million euros/year if converted to oil for use as energy (according to Ed Kosior). This number can be even higher when recycled again to plastic. Note that beam trawl nets with a heigtenable/lowerable beam are best used (to allow use with hydrofoils), but project Kaisei has also experimented with purse seining nets and drift nets. Note that the pole on which the beam is mounted is best also rotatable (to allow easy emptying unto the ship's deck. The merchant vessels can then deliver the plastics to nearby plastic recovery facilities (for conversion to oil or recycling to plastic).