GB2458888A

GB2458888A - A means of assisting with the retrieval of waste plastic

Info

Publication number: GB2458888A
Application number: GB0805756A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Peter Robert Goodall
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2008-03-31
Filing date: 2008-03-31
Publication date: 2009-10-07
Also published as: GB0805756D0

Abstract

In order to help with the removal of plastic material from the oceans, it is proposed to make the plastic material buoyant. This is achieved by addition of either gases (for example, air) to the material or buoyant filler material. Also disclosed is that such material may be collected by ship having nets or water-engaging conveyors.

Description

I

A means of assisting with the retrieval of waste Plastic

Description

The Invention is to make the plastic buoyant so that if in water it floats even if It is broken into many pieces. The same invention could be used for any product which might be disposed of in water.

A problem has being highlighted in the last few days of large amounts of waste plastic in the oceans that is affecting wildlife and may affect human health when the plastic breaks down into smaller areas.

Vast quantities of plastic are now present in the oceans particularly in areas such as around Midway. Nature is already helping with part of the solution already in that the plastic is not spread evenly in the sea but is being shepherded by ocean currents into certain areas which will help with the clear up. However the plastic will need to be cleared up as it is already causing damage to wildlife and will enter the food chain when the plastic starts to disintegrate.

There is a vast plastic industry who will wish to see their products continued to be made, and there are arguably benefits in plastic materials such as for food stuffs as they can help avoid contamination or spoilage and were plastic to be banned the packaging would have to be made out of another material which might have ecological consequences such as depleting the forests.

This invention is about part of the solution. Sometimes an invention can allow a second invention to have a greater effect. For example medically if a virus or disease is first weakened then a second invention an antibiotic for example may be more effective.

The problem with the plastic bags is the difficulty still posed in their collection although they are being concentrated in certain areas by ocean currents. Many if not most have sunk and are therefore out of sight, this not only makes clearing up the plastic more difficult and more costly it also serves to hide the extent of the problem from the public making it easier for people to avoid facing up to.

If the plastic floated to the surface of the water, it would show the extent of the problem and allow many existing technologies to go to work to clear up the waste, such as booms and other devices used for problems such as oil slicks.

This might also be the basis of a vessel to be the basis of further claims or divisional that could scoop the plastic out of the water, almost hoover or suck it out of the water on conveyor belts or use a device on part of the vessel which would help the debris to be loaded onto a moving conveyor belt to be stored on another part of the vessel or moved to a desired point..

The debris could also be retrieved by similar methods attached to airships or loaded onto airships.

Currents could be created in the water to assist the movement of the debris towards a direction perhaps that of a vessel to retrieve the debris or away from areas such as containing wildlife.

Currents could be created by warming the water or though moving structures such as turning blades.

The main Invention is to make the plastic buoyant so that if in water it floats even if it is broken into many pieces. The same invention could be used for any product which might be disposed of in water.

There are two pages of drawings to illustrate the invention. All numbers relate to the same features.

The area marked I is something made from plastic The area marked 2 is bubbles of air or a lighter than water gas, or any substance that is lighter than water. These bubbles or areas can be of any size.

The area marked 3 is plastic debris or waste.

The area marked 4 is the Sea or an area of water.

The area marked 5 is a vessel or structure that can travel on water.

The area marked 6 is the direction of the conveyor belt.

The area marked 7 is the conveyor belt.

The area marked 8 is a net or any canopy that can trap and contain plastic debris or waste.

The area marked 9 are areas of the vessel or structure on water that support the conveyor belt.

One embodiment of the invention is to put large numbers of tiny bubbles into plastic. This could be done in a number of different ways. The bubbles would contain trapped air or a gas that would help with buoyancy of the plastic. Even if the plastic broke up and some bubbles filled with water the remaining bubbles would keep the plastic afloat.

Another embodiment of the invention would be for bubbles of air or other buoyant gas could be pumped into plastics used in all materials, it might even be made a law that this had to be done.

Another embodiment of the invention would be for plastic to be filled with one or more substances that would enable it to float on water. The buoyancy of these materials would have to be greater than the weight of the plastic that exceeds any natural buoyancy it might have.

Another embodiment of the invention is to fill the plastic with a material that is less dense than water, or a mixture of materials that are less dense.

A chemical could be added to the plastic so that if small amounts are broken down the added chemical is toxic or repels any harmful organism that might wish to attach itself to the small piece of plastic and which might find its way into the food chain.

The plastic might also be changed chemically or in another way so that wildlife would be repelled from eating it or would expel it from their bodies if eaten. This might be done by the chemical composition of the plastic or by the colour or texture of the plastic, The chemical composition of plastic could be changed so that it is naturally buoyant.

The bubbles could be put into a product in the form of premade bubbles that could be added to the making of plastic products and packaging later in the manufacturing process.

These areas of air or other gas might also make the disposal of such products by incineration or by composting more effective.

It is to be understood that any feature described in relation to any embodiment of the invention may be used in combination with any other embodiment of the invention.

Claims

A means of assisting with the retrieval of waste Plastic Claims 1/2 1) The product is the filling of plastic with a buoyant material such as air sufficient to make the plastic float in water to help the clear up of products made from this material when plastic products enter water such as the sea.
2) The product according to claim I where the plastic is filled with a gas that is lighter than water such as air to make the plastic float in water to help the clear up of products made from this material when plastic products enter water such as the sea.
3) The product according to claim I that has a lower density than water to make the plastic float in water to help the clear up of products made from this material when plastic products enter water such as the sea.
4) The product according to claim I where the plastic is filled with a buoyant gas such as air to make the plastic float in water to help the clear up of products made from this material when plastic products enter water such as the sea.
5) The product according to claim 1 where the plastic is filled with a material that has a lower density than water to make the plastic float in water to help the clear up of products made from this material when plastic products enter water such as the sea.
6) The product according to claim I where the air could be put into a product in the form of premade bubbles that could be added to the making of plastic products and packaging later in the manufacturing process.
7) The product according to claim I that could make the disposal of the plastic product more effective by assisting in the incineration or composting of the product.
Claims 2/2 A means of assisting with the retrieval of waste Plastic 8) The product according to any of the claims that allows a vessel to scoop up the plastic from the surface of the water using a conveyor belt.
9) The product according to any of the claims that allows a vessel to scoop up the plastic from the surface of the water using a net The product according to any of the claims that allows a vessel to scoop up the plastic from the surface of the water using any method of moving an item in the water to a vessel or to a desired point.
1O)The product according to claim 1 where a mixture of buoyant material are introduced to a plastic material to enable it to float on water.
11) The product according to claim I where a mixture of buoyant gases are added to plastic to enable it to float on water.
12) The product according to claim 1 where additional materials are added to assist with the destruction or transformation into another substance of the plastic that has being retrieved from the sea.
13) The product according to claim 12 where the plastic has being retrieved from land.
14)The product according to claim I where the buoyancy of the plastic is assisted by adding a buoyant non-plastic material.
15) The bubbles could be put into a product in the form of premade bubbles that could be added to the making of plastic products and packaging later in the manufacturing process.