Talk:The Ocean Cleanup

Reply 21-MAY-2026

  Clarification requested  

• To expedite your request, it would help if you could provide the following information:

1. Exact, verbatim descriptions of any text and/or references to be added or removed should be given.

• In the section of text below titled Sample edit request, the four required items are shown as an example:

Sample edit request

1. Please remove the third sentence from the second paragraph of the Sun section:

"The Sun's diameter is estimated to be approximately 25 miles in length."

---

2. Please add the following claim as the third sentence of the second paragraph of the Sun section:

"The Sun's diameter is estimated to be approximately 864,337 miles in length."

---

3. Using as the reference:

Prisha Harinath (2023). The Sun. Academic Press. p. 1.

---

4. Reason for change being made:

"The previously given diameter was incorrect."

• Your request provides #1, #2 and #4, but is missing #3 from above. You provided a draft, but the requested changes and their references need to be placed on this talk page. You provided the references, but you turned off the WikiMarkup so that the references do not display normally. Kindly open a new edit request at your earliest convenience when ready to proceed with all four items from your request.

References

Thank you! Regards,  Spintendo  06:30, 22 May 2026 (UTC)

Thank you for the clarification regarding the reference formatting! I have now reposted the request with the references reformatted accordingly. Toometa (talk) 11:19, 22 May 2026 (UTC)

Thank you, that is much appreciated. One problem still remains. Your use of the {{TextDiff}} template is problematic because it obscures the references. You'll notice that the ref notes are all missing from the text. That is a problem when trying to review the requested changes. I'm going to ask that you resubmit your requested changes so that {{TextDiff}} is not used. Being able to easily see where the ref note is placed is a superior way of commucating your references than describing where they're suppsosed to be. I'm also going to ask that you limit the number of individually requested changes to a more manageable number, like say, 5 to 10. Twenty-eight is a bit much. Please be aware that all new talk page entries (including reformatted requests) go at the bottom of the talk page. Regards,  Spintendo  14:28, 22 May 2026 (UTC)

Thank you again for the clarification. I have now reposted the request with the references placed inline in the proposed text, without using TextDiff, and limited the request to 7 changes as suggested. Best, Toometa (talk) 18:25, 22 May 2026 (UTC)

One additional issue I noticed after reposting the request: the {{edit COI/significant}} template does not appear to be rendering correctly in this section, and the request therefore does not seem to appear in the corresponding COI request category. I also noticed some broader template/reference rendering issues in this area of the talk page. Would you prefer that I repost the request differently, or leave it as is? Best, Toometa (talk) 15:40, 24 May 2026 (UTC)

Hi! Just following up regarding the rendering/categorization issue mentioned above. The reposted request still does not appear to be included in the normal COI request category workflow, and templates such as {{edit COI/significant}} still do not seem to transclude correctly in the reposted section.

At this point, I am wondering whether the issue may be related to the current size or complexity of the talk page itself. Unless you would advise against it, I may try archiving some older resolved sections in a few days to see whether this restores normal template rendering/categorization behavior. Toometa (talk) 07:26, 1 June 2026 (UTC)

Just as a brief follow-up: after receiving no further guidance, I archived older superseded discussions and retained the active COI review discussion on the main talk page. This appears to have resolved the template rendering and categorization issues that were affecting the reposted request. Toometa (talk) 09:15, 5 June 2026 (UTC)

Proposed content updates (reformatted request 2)

Reposting and further reformatting the edit request originally submitted on 13 February 2026, following the additional clarification provided by Spintendo regarding reference formatting and presentation. Following this guidance, I have also limited this repost to 7 requested changes selected from the original set of 28 in order to make the request more manageable to review.

Proposed update #1

Location: History section – opening sentence

Current text:

Slat proposed the cleanup project and supporting system in 2012. In October, he outlined the project in a TED-talk.

Proposed text:

Boyan Slat proposed the cleanup project and supporting system in 2012 in a TED-talk.

Rationale

Minor copy-edit to improve clarity and concision, without changing the underlying information.

Proposed update #2

Location: History section – end of the opening paragraph

Current text:

The barriers would direct the floating plastic to the central platform, which would remove the plastic from the water. Slat did not specify the dimensions of this system in the talk.

Proposed text:

The barriers would direct the floating plastic to the central platform, which would remove the plastic from the water.

Rationale

Removes a non-informative sentence that merely notes the absence of a detail in the source, without contributing meaningful content.

Proposed update #3

Location: History section – 2014-2017: Initial prototype subsection - at the end of the first paragraph

Proposed addition:

According to later reporting, the development process ultimately involved testing 273 scale models and six distinct prototypes before the organization finalized the design that preceded System 001.

Using as the reference:

Summers, Hannah (2018-09-08). "Scientists get ready to begin Great Pacific Garbage Patch cleanup". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2025-12-10.

Proposed update #4

Location: History section – 2014-2017: Initial prototype subsection - last paragraph

Current text:

In May 2017, significant changes to the conceptual design were made:

• Dimensions were reduced from 100 km (62 mi) to 2 km (1.2 mi), with the idea of using a fleet of 60 such systems.
• Seabed anchors were replaced with sea anchors, to drift with the currents, allowing the plastic to "catch up" with the cleanup system, and letting the system drift to locations with the highest concentration of debris. The lines to the anchor would keep the system in a U-shape.
• An automatic system for collecting plastic was replaced with a system for concentrating the plastic before removal by support vessels.

Proposed text:

In May 2017, significant changes to the conceptual design were made. This included reducing the length of the boom from 100 km to 2 km to increase unit scalability, replacing seabed anchors with sea anchors to allow it to drift with currents, and replacing the automatic system for removing accumulated plastic with a manual one.

Rationale

Reformatting for clarity and summary style, replacing an unnecessary bullet list with equivalent prose.

Source note

The Science reference is not necessary and has been removed.

Proposed update #5

Location: History section – System 001 subsection

Removal of the opening paragraph beginning with “Tests in 2018 led to sea anchors…”.

Rationale

The statements in this paragraph are either not clearly supported by the cited sources or rely primarily on a primary source, namely a video produced by the organization itself (World Maritime News).

Proposed update #6

Location: History section – System 001 subsection

Current text:

On 9 September 2018, System 001 (nicknamed Wilson in reference to the floating volleyball in the 2000 film Cast Away) deployed from San Francisco.

Proposed text:

On 9 September 2018, System 001 deployed from San Francisco.

Rationale

The nickname and pop culture reference are non-essential details and are not required in a summary-style history section.

Proposed update #7

Location: History section – System 001 subsection

Add the following citation:

Simon, Matt. "Ocean Cleanup's Plastic Catcher Is Busted. So What Now?". Wired. ISSN 1059-1028. Retrieved 2025-12-10.

at the end of the sentence:

It consisted of a 600 m (2,000 ft) long barrier with a 3 m (9.8 ft) wide skirt hanging beneath it.

Thank you for your time and consideration. Toometa (talk) 18:22, 22 May 2026 (UTC)

Hello, I think the changes you requested hav been made. I spend some time rewording the article for structure and flow. Could you reread and provide feedback on the changes that were made. ThanksAndrewC992 (talk) 14:09, 25 July 2026 (UTC)

Hello, Thank you very much for taking the time to work through the request. I appreciate the substantial restructuring and copyediting you did throughout the article. After reviewing the current version, it looks to me as though proposed updates 1, 2, and 7 have been addressed. However, unless I'm overlooking something, proposed updates 3, 4, 5, and 6 do not appear to have been implemented:

Proposed update 3: the proposed addition does not seem to have been added.

Proposed update 4: the bulleted list remains in place rather than being rewritten into prose as proposed.

Proposed update 5: the paragraph proposed for removal is still present.

Proposed update 6: the portion of the sentence proposed for removal also appears to remain unchanged.

Could you please take another look at those four requests?

Thanks again for all the work you've already put into improving the article. Toometa (talk) 15:36, 25 July 2026 (UTC)

Hello again, I think I've covered everything, and it does look and read much nicer. All the best AndrewC992 (talk) 19:22, 25 July 2026 (UTC)

Hello AndrewC992, Everything is indeed covered. Thank you very much! I just made two very minor typographical corrections. I'll now remove the edit COI request banner since the current batch of requests has been addressed. I'll then post a new request for the remaining proposed changes that I had held back following Spintendo's suggestion to split the request into smaller batches. Thanks again for all your work! Best, Toometa (talk) 12:57, 26 July 2026 (UTC)

References

Proposed content updates 2 (reformatted request 2)

Hello,

This is the second batch of requested changes following the original submission of 13 February 2026 and the helpful feedback from Spintendo. The first batch was kindly reviewed and addressed by AndrewC992 on 25 July 2026.

Proposed update #1

Location: History section – System 001 subsection

Supprimer la dernière phrase du premier paragraphe :

The barrier and the screen were produced by an Austrian supplier.

Rationale

The supplier detail is non-essential and removed for summary-style consistency.

Proposed update #2

Location: History section

Move the “System 002 and 03” subsection above the “Interceptors 001–010” subsection.

Proposed update #3

Location: History section - “System 002 and 03 subsection” - first sentence

Current text

In July 2021, a new design called System 002, also known as "Jenny", was deployed in the Great Pacific Garbage Patch for testing.

Proposed text

In July 2021, a new design called System 002 was deployed in the Great Pacific Garbage Patch for testing.

Rationale

The nickname and pop culture reference are non-essential details and are not required in a summary-style history section.

Proposed update #4

Location: History section - System 002 and 03 subsection - first paragraph, last sentence

Current text

In October, the organization announced that the system had gathered 28,000 kilograms (62,000 lb) of trash. In October, the project announced plans for System 03, which would span up to 2.5 km (1.6 mi).

Proposed text

In October 2021, the organization announced that the system had gathered 28,000 kilograms (62,000 lb) of trash, and announced plans for System 03, which would span up to 2.5 km (1.6 mi).

Rationale

This change clarifies the timeline and removes unnecessary repetition, while fully preserving the information as supported by the source.

Proposed update #5

Location: History section - System 002 and 03 subsection - first paragraph

Current text

In May 2023, the project deployed its System 03 barrier, 2,250 meters long. The system included a retention zone where material is held before it is removed from the water, with the nets' mesh size there being increased from 10 to 15 mm. This is to allow marine life such as fish and turtles to escape, and to allow smaller creatures such as blue buttons and violet snails to pass through.

Proposed text

In May 2023, the project deployed its System 03 barrier, 2,250 meters long. The system incorporated design changes intended to reduce ecological impacts, including modifications to the retention area and the addition of a marine animal escape mechanism.

Rationale

The rewording aligns the statement more closely with the scope and level of detail supported by the available source (Wired).

Proposed update #6

Location: History section - System 002 and 03 subsection

Removal of the paragraph beginning with “System 03 has about 5× the capacity of System 002…”, as it is supported solely by a primary source.

Proposed update #7

Location: History section - Interceptors 001-010 subsection

Change the subsection title from “Interceptors 001–010” to “Interceptors”, as the individual numbering (including up to 010) is not supported by specific secondary references.

Thank you for your time and consideration. Toometa (talk) 13:39, 26 July 2026 (UTC)

References

Done CornerLitTweak (talk) 00:47, 3 October 2026 (UTC)

Proposed content updates 3 (reformatted request 3)

Hello,

Here is the next batch of proposed updates, following the previous two batches. Thanks in advance for taking a look.

Proposed update #1

Location: History section – Interceptors subsection – first paragraph

Current text

In October 2019, The Ocean Cleanup unveiled a barrier for river cleanup, The Interceptor, to intercept river plastic and prevent it from reaching the ocean. Two systems were deployed in Jakarta (Indonesia) and Klang (Malaysia).

Proposed text

In October 2019, The Ocean Cleanup unveiled the Interceptor, a solar-powered system designed to remove plastic from rivers before it reaches the ocean. The first two Interceptor units were deployed in Klang (Malaysia) and Jakarta (Indonesia).

Rationale

The revised wording better reflects the level of detail and phrasing supported by the cited source, while improving clarity and maintaining an appropriate summary style.

Source note

The DesignBoom source currently used in the article is sufficient to support the information contained in both sentences. No new references are being added in this request. The currently used Maritime Executive source can be removed as it is not adequately aligned with the statements.

Proposed update #2

Location: History section – Interceptors subsection – paragraph beginning “In January 2020”

Current text

In January 2020, flooding broke the barrier of Interceptor 001 in Jakarta. It was replaced with a newer model with a stronger screen, simpler design, and an adjustable better-defined weak link. A third Interceptor was deployed in Santo Domingo, in the Dominican Republic. In December, The Ocean Cleanup announced they would start large-scale production of the Interceptor series.

Proposed text

In January 2020, flooding broke the barrier of Interceptor 001 in Jakarta. It was replaced with a newer model with a stronger screen, simpler design, and an adjustable better-defined weak link.

Rationale

The removed sentences are either not clearly supported by the cited sources or rely on a broken link and what appears to be a primary source (a press release).

Source note

Retain only the EcoWatch source already present in the article for the remaining paragraph, as it is sufficient to support the content. No new references are being added in this request.

Proposed update #3

Location: History section – Interceptors subsection – paragraph beginning “In July 2022”

Current text

In July 2022, an Interceptor Original was deployed near the mouth of Ballona Creek in southwestern Los Angeles County, California. This was the first Interceptor Original installed in the United States, and the second of its kind to be deployed globally.

Proposed text

In October 2022, an Interceptor Original was deployed near the mouth of Ballona Creek in southwestern Los Angeles County, California. This installation was the first Interceptor Original in the United States.

Rationale

The existing wording is not supported by the cited source and relies on a primary source. The revised version reflects what is explicitly supported by independent sources and removes unsupported claims.

Source note

The current source can be removed and replaced by the two references included in the proposed text above.

Proposed update #4

Location: Research section

Complete removal of the subsection “Scientific findings.”

Rationale

The subsection relies almost entirely on primary scientific publications and summarizes their findings directly, without substantial independent secondary coverage discussing these results. Moreover, the content largely concerns broader environmental science topics rather than encyclopedic information about the organization itself.

Proposed update #5

Location: Research section – first paragraph

Removal of the subsection heading “Oceanic expeditions,” which is no longer necessary if Proposed update #4 is accepted, and modification of the first paragraph as follows:

Current text

In August 2015, The Ocean Cleanup conducted the Mega Expedition, in which a fleet of approximately 30 vessels, with lead ship R/V Ocean Starr, crossed the Great Pacific Garbage Patch and mapped an area of 3.5 million square kilometers. The expedition collected data on the size, concentration and total mass of the plastic in the patch. According to the organization, this expedition collected more data on oceanic plastic pollution than the last 40 years combined.

Proposed text

In August 2015, The Ocean Cleanup conducted the Mega Expedition, during which a fleet of around 30 vessels, led by the R/V Ocean Starr, collected plastic samples across the Great Pacific Garbage Patch in an effort to reassess the scale and composition of the debris.

Rationale

The removed sentence relied on a primary source and contained promotional language. The revised wording aligns more closely with the available independent source and avoids unsupported claims.

Source note

Retain only the SFGate source already present in the article at the end of the paragraph, as no new references are being added in this request.

Proposed update #6

Location: Efficacy issues and possible negative impacts section - at the end of the second paragraph

Current text

A modelling study concluded that it is currently impossible to determine how damaging at-sea plastic removal strategies (such as those of The Ocean Cleanup) would be for marine life, with impacts potentially ranging from mild to severe.

Proposed text

A modelling study concluded that it is currently impossible to determine how damaging at-sea plastic removal strategies (such as those of The Ocean Cleanup) would be for marine life, with impacts potentially ranging from mild to severe. In 2025, The Ocean Cleanup published a peer-reviewed environmental assessment of its activities, which concluded that, according to the authors, the modeled benefits of ocean plastic removal outweighed the associated environmental costs, including greenhouse gas emissions and ecosystem impacts.

Rationale

The proposed addition provides relevant context from a more recent peer-reviewed assessment. The cited study was authored in part by researchers affiliated with The Ocean Cleanup and is therefore a primary source. The preceding statement similarly relies directly on a primary scientific study. I leave it to the reviewer to determine whether either or both are appropriate for inclusion. Toometa (talk) 13:25, 5 October 2026 (UTC)

Response: 2026-10-05

Proposed update #1

Done

Proposed update #2

Done

Proposed update #3

Partly done: I have omitted the LA county government source because it is unclear what it is needed to support and the stormwater report source says it better imo.

Proposed update #4

Done

Proposed update #5

Done

Proposed update #6

Done In a couple places I have made minor copyedits. I am marking this request as accepted. Thank you for submitting your edit request in independently reviewable chunks. It makes the process much easier. Packrat3860 (talk) 16:59, 5 October 2026 (UTC)

Thank you very much for reviewing all of these requests, and for the minor copyedits as well. I’m glad the smaller batches made the review easier.

Just one small point on update #3: I noticed that the article still says “In July 2022”, whereas the proposed wording changed this to “In October 2022”. Would you mind taking another look at that date?

Thanks again for your help! Toometa (talk) 09:25, 6 October 2026 (UTC)

I noticed that the article still says “In July 2022”, whereas the proposed wording changed this to “In October 2022”

A copy paste error that I have now remedied. Packrat3860 (talk) 13:20, 6 October 2026 (UTC)

Proposed content updates 4 (reformatted request 4)

Hello,

Thank you again to the editors who have reviewed the previous batches. Following those, I have three final proposed changes below. As before, I have kept them separate so that each can be reviewed independently. Thanks in advance to anyone who has time to review these final requests.

Proposed update #1

Location: History section

Proposed change

Move the "System 002" and "System 03" subsections so that they appear immediately after "System 001" and before "Interceptors". No changes to the text or references within these subsections are proposed.

Rationale

This would improve the chronological structure of the History section. System 002 and System 03 cover the development of the ocean cleanup systems from 2021 onward and follow directly from System 001, whereas the Interceptors subsection covers the separate river cleanup program.

Proposed update #2

Location: Funding section - paragraph on Kia

Current text

In 2022, Kia signed a seven-year deal to become a global partner of The Ocean Cleanup through funding and in-kind contributions. The partnership will fund the construction of a new Interceptor and will allow for recycled plastics to be used in the manufacturing process of Kia.

Proposed text

In 2022, Kia became a global partner of The Ocean Cleanup, providing funding and in-kind contributions to support its cleanup operations.

Rationale

The current paragraph relies entirely on a primary source and includes details that are not clearly supported by independent coverage. The proposed version retains the core information about the partnership while replacing the primary source with an independent Newsweek article.

Proposed update #3

Location: Funding section - after the paragraph on the 2023 donation from Joe Gebbia

Proposed addition

In 2024, Coldplay announced that a vinyl version of their new album, Moon Music, would be made from plastic recovered by The Ocean Cleanup in Rio Las Vacas, Guatemala.

Rationale

This adds independently reported information about the reuse of plastic recovered by The Ocean Cleanup. The Guardian article directly connects the material used for the album to plastic collected by the organization in Guatemala. Toometa (talk) 14:03, 6 October 2026 (UTC)