I’m sure there’s a perfectly good reason why we haven’t done this yet. Too expensive? Would launching it into the sun cause the smoke (if there is even smoke in space) to find its way back to Earth, therefore polluting the air?

This is an incredibly stupid question.

  • themeatbridge@lemmy.world
    154·
    1 month ago

    First - The major problem with trash isn’t the getting rid of it part, it’s the gathering it up part. If we could do that, it wouldn’t be a problem.

    The frustrating part is that this could be the easiest to solve. Require boats to weigh in and out, and account for everything on board. Minus fuel, plus fish, but those old, broken nets and plastic waste need to return to port to be properly disposed of. Throwing even a soda can overboard should result in significant fines.

      • themeatbridge@lemmy.world
        6·
        1 month ago

        Fair question. You’re not going to catch a soda can, but a boat should be a closed system. The thresholds should be as low as is practically enforceable.

      • kent_eh@lemmy.caEnglish
        31·
        1 month ago

        A lot of ocean trash comes by river from poor countries.

        Also by river from wealthy countries, and has done so for centuries.

        The scope of the task of removing it is far bigger than OP can imagine.

        • bestboyfriendintheworld@sh.itjust.works
          5·
          1 month ago

          https://ourworldindata.org/ocean-plastics

          Most of the plastic in our oceans comes from land-based sources: by weight, 70% to 80% is plastic that is transported from land to the sea via rivers or coastlines

          Most of the world’s largest emitting rivers are in Asia, with some also in East Africa and the Caribbean

          Seven of the top ten rivers are in the Philippines. Two are in India, and one in Malaysia. The Pasig River in the Philippines alone accounts for 6.4% of global river plastics

          Rich countries tend to have better functioning waste collection and disposal services.