Contribution to removal of plastics in marine environments will make a difference the next 400 years

Physically, Ocean Plastic Forum is located at Maskinmestrenes Forening (Association of Mechanical and Marine Engineers) in Copenhagen.

DESMI's EnviRo-Care is 100% dedicated to the development of equipment and complete systems for removal of plastic articles and any other marine and aquatic debris and waste in streaming water bodies and for that reason DESMI is naturally joining Ocean Plastic Forum. However, the philosophy is that marine and aquatic debris and waste in rivers and tributaries must be removed before this is floating into the open sea where it would be a lot more resource demanding to collect. Furthermore, this debris and waste could also harm the flora and fauna a lot more when it first has arrived in the ocean waters. 

Since the board members of Ocean Plastic Forum are in Odense, DESMI has used the opportunity to demonstrate a collecting and gathering concept for the representatives of the Danish Department of the Environment, consultants and funding organizations together with representatives from the Danish plastic industry and, not least, from the industry recycling collected plastics. 

The collector system is placed at the locality of Vandcenter Syd at Ejby Mølle. Vandcenter Syd has been of huge assistance related to the testing of the new collecting and gathering concept.  

DESMI has had collector systems zoned at three different places in Denmark for long periods. Especially, in regards of export businesses, it has been important being able to demonstrate operative systems. If even Denmark is not making investments in systems preventing plastic articles to float into the oceans, it will be hard to convince other countries of that it is important to protect the environment.  

It is no doubt that Denmark is not among the countries discharging most plastic articles into the oceans. However, this does not mean that we do not discharge any plastics at all. At all three locations where systems are installed, plastics have been collected. So even in a country like Denmark our systems can make a positive difference. Since it takes nature at least 400 years to destroy plastic articles, our efforts contribute to a positive result reaching more than 400 years ahead.