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Ocean Cleanup Engineer
Designs and deploys systems to remove plastic and pollution from the world's oceans and rivers.
Did you know?
The Ocean Cleanup, founded in 2013 by teenager Boyan Slat, says it has removed over 60 million kg of trash from rivers and the Pacific.
How subjects help
- Engineering: Design floating barriers that collect plastic from rivers before it reaches the sea.
- Environmental Science: Make sure cleanup systems catch rubbish without trapping fish, turtles or other sea life.
- Chemistry: Test which types of plastic you collect so they can be sorted and recycled.
- Art & Design: Sketch cleanup devices and make clear drawings that show the public how they work.
A famous name
Boyan Slat: Founded The Ocean Cleanup in 2013, aged 18, to remove plastic from oceans and rivers.
Try it yourself: Clean an oily feather
- Drip a little water on a clean feather. Notice how the drops roll off.
- Dip the feather into a few spoonfuls of cooking oil, then drip water on it again. What has changed about how it looks and feels?
- Try to clean oily feathers three ways: swish one in cold water, one in warm tap water, and one in warm water with a squirt of washing-up liquid.
- Pat each dry with kitchen paper and rank them from cleanest to oiliest. Which method would you choose for a real bird?
Marine scientists and wildlife responders study how oil ruins feathers' waterproofing, test cleaning methods, and wash oiled seabirds by hand after real spills.
Adapted from NOAA Office of Response and Restoration: Find the Best Way to Clean Oil off Bird Feathers.
Also try: Clean up a mini oil spill.
Known for it in
Netherlands, USA, Australia, Norway, Germany