To preempt the discussions that happen every single time this project comes up:
* Being able to clean up environmental messes is more important than preventing them in the future, and they are not mutually exclusive.
* The quality of the recovered plastics is lower than conventional recycled plastics, but they are sold at a premium to brands who want environmental responsibility credit.
* Yes, we should prevent plastics from reaching the ocean by cleaning at the mouth of the contributing rivers - but the only reason we have identified these primary sources contributing to the ocean garbage problem is because of the research published by this same group.
* Being able to clean up environmental messes is more important than preventing them in the future, and they are not mutually exclusive.
* The quality of the recovered plastics is lower than conventional recycled plastics, but they are sold at a premium to brands who want environmental responsibility credit.
* Yes, we should prevent plastics from reaching the ocean by cleaning at the mouth of the contributing rivers - but the only reason we have identified these primary sources contributing to the ocean garbage problem is because of the research published by this same group.