How Amazon is using AI to Remove Ocean Plastics

By 2050 the WWF estimates that there could be more plastic in the ocean than fish.

WWF also says that 90% of seabirds have plastic in their stomachs and half of marine turtles have eaten plastic.

Research from The Ocean Cleanup found that the Great Pacific Garbage Patch is impeding the oceans ability to regulate the climate and is harmful to marine life.

It plans to tackle this by partnering with Amazon Web Services (AWS) and using AI to accelerate the initiative.

The Ocean Cleanup says on Linkedin: “We are joining forces with Amazon Web Services to accelerate ocean plastic removal using AI.

“AWS will provide a range of technologies from IoT, satellite and edge computing to deploying drones and flotation devices to precisely track plastic accumulation. 

“This will help create a 'plastic navigation' system that predicts debris movement and optimises cleanup operations. 

“AWS will help improve our marine life detection systems using AI-driven technologies, reducing the need for Protected Species Observers to monitor them 24 hours a day."

More about The Ocean Cleanup

The Ocean Cleanup is a nonprofit organisation that develops and scales technologies to help remove plastics from the ocean.

The company is working to stop plastic inflow via rivers and remove legacy plastic that is already polluting the oceans.

Boyan Slat had the idea for The Ocean Cleanup when scuba diving in Greece where he saw more plastic bags than fish in the sea.

He presented his ideas in 2012 at a TEDx Conference and in 2013 he officially founded the organisation.

He led the organisation through the initial scientific work, testing and concept iterations leading to successfully achieving Proof of Technology in 2021 for both river interception and cleanup of the Great Pacific Garbage Patch.

Boyan says: “When people say something is impossible, the sheer absoluteness of that statement should be a motivation to investigate further.”

What is the plan using AI?

The collaboration will utilise AWS’s AI, machine learning and cloud computing capabilities, with the aim to remove 90% of floating ocean plastic by 2040.

AWS has an AI powered detection system that will help with precise tracking of plastic accumulation and predictive modelling of debris movement to optimise resource management and efficiency.

At first, the initiative will focus on developing hotspot hunting to find plastics that are unevenly dotted across the ocean surface.

The technology will allow ships to be steered towards optimal collection areas based on data predictions of where the plastic will be moving to.

The cloud-based infrastructure will remove marine life detection systems, reducing the need for The Ocean Cleanup’s Protected Species Observers.

What are the benefits to extracting plastic?

Extracting plastics will help protect marine life through preserving biodiversity and preventing disintegration into microplastics that enter the food chain.

The Ocean Cleanup has already removed 64 million pounds of marine waste worldwide.

The use of AI will help reduce costs, as 24 hour Protected Species Observers will not be needed as frequently, allowing for more resources to be directed to plastic extraction.

The Ocean Cleanup says that plastic impacts the oxygen and capture carbon produced by the ocean, which may accelerate climate change. By removing the plastics it will help reduce the acceleration of the climate.

Dr. Werner Vogels, Chief Technology Officer of Amazon, says: “Plastic pollution represents one of the most pressing environmental challenges of our time, and The Ocean Cleanup’s mission is vital for the health of our planet.

“This collaboration demonstrates how advanced cloud computing and AI can serve as powerful tools for environmental stewardship, not only transforming oceanic data into actionable insights but also creating a blueprint for how technology can address critical environmental challenges across the globe.”