System 001, developed by non-profit organisation Ocean Cleanup, will begin its journey to the Great Pacific Garbage Patch from San Francisco on Saturday after years in development.
The 600 metre long machine uses tidal patterns to float into areas of high plastic concentration, creating a horseshoe-shaped barrier to trap debris which can later be collected and recycled.
If successful, Ocean Cleanup, the brainchild of Dutch inventor Boyan Slat, wants to launch a fleet of similar systems to remove around half of plastic trapped in the vortex over the next five years.
Located roughly halfway between Hawaii and the coast of California, the Great Pacific Garbage Patch is the largest accumulation of ocean plastics in the world.
System 001 reportedly cost around $25m (£19.4m) to develop and construct.
Ocean Cleanup plans to offer large companies the opportunity to fund the building of additional systems in return for having their corporate branding placed on the devices.
Many ocean experts have expressed optimism the project may go a long way to cleaning up the massive debris field, but some lingering concerns still remain.
According to Independent
