Design Summary_Analysis Final draft

Seabin's (2019) article on using plastic to fight plastics postulates that microplastics and microfibers to be one of the greatest threats to marine environments. These types of plastics affect the marine environment on two fronts; they tend to collect organic pollutants faster than inorganic particles and due to their micro size in nature makes it easy for marine life to ingest. The plastic pollution has caused the United Nations (UN) to instigate an inquiry for necessary actions to combat the level of pollutions.  The main purpose of Seabin technology is to capture all surrounding debris, and also remove considerable amounts of microplastics, preventing the particles from breaking down into smaller pieces in the sea.  The article also describes how the Seabin method is cheaper and more time-efficient compared to the manta trawl method. The Seabin Project joins current global efforts to reduce microplastic and microfibre loads in the ocean. From the article, it explains that further research and developments are carried out to improve the technology of Seabin, allowing to remove even smaller particles of microplastics.

Although Seabin doesn't capture the entire depth of waste in the sea, this technology is still more practical than any other product in the market in terms of their efficiency, sustainability, and affordability.

The efficiency behind Seabin's technology lies in its ability to run on a 24/7 power source which is also adaptable to solar power, making it a self-sustaining product. Another form aspect of Seabin's efficiency lies in the number of resources that can be saved by reducing the number of marina employees spent on collecting the trash with long nets. Human resources aside, it is estimated that one Seabin can collect up to 8 pounds of trash in 24 hours, making it one of the most efficient products existing in the current market (Bosse 2019).

On top of being efficient, Seabin also excels in its sustainability in its construction by using recyclable, eco-friendly material. According to Newbern (2016), "All other components will be materials we reuse or recycle (i.e. aluminium, stainless steel)". For example, its mesh bag that helps to collect the debris is made from recycled plastic. Seabin Project (2019) also stated that with the use of these recycled materials, the design team from Seabin came out with "V5 hybrid", which is a modified Seabin that uses plastics as a filter to capture plastics and other waste from the sea. Once the receptacle has exceeded its useful life, it will then be recycled.

Finally, Seabin's practicality comes from its affordability, which can be seen in 2 parts. Because the maintenance required for its components is mostly constructed out of recycled materials collected from the sea, minimizing manufacturing costs. In addition, according to the Seabin project overview book (2019), its cost of operation equates to less than 1 dollar a day for collecting 1 ton of trash per year. Comparing it to the current solution, it is more expensive to run and maintain. Referring to this quote in the Seabin project overview book (2019), Caterina Amengual, a General Director of the environment for the Balearic Islands in Spain mentioned that "while they do a lot of good, they do not provide a competitive edge". With the little cost of maintenance and in operation Seabin was, therefore, a more effective and competitive product when compared to existing products and solutions.

In conclusion, the efficiency with its new technology, sustainability through using recyclable materials and affordability with its lower cost of operations, the use of Seabins around the world will significantly reduce the amount of waste that is poured in the sea.  

References and work Cited

Bosse K., (n.d.). Cleaning the Oceans is Everyone's Problem. Retrieved February 9, 2020, from http://www.finehomesandliving.com/Cleaning-the-Oceans-is-Everyones-Problem/

Cleaner Marina Cleaner Oceans Seabin V5. (2019). Retrieved February 9, 2020, from https://seabinproject.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/seabin_overview_book.pdf

Gunter, J., Short, C. and Stearman, J. (2017, May). Pollution in our Oceans- The Seabin. Retrieved February 9, 2020, from http://blogs.longwood.edu/shortctechnicalwritingportfolio/files/2017/05/WhitePaper.pdf

Newbern. E., (2016, March 5). Surfers Invent Floating Trash Bin to Clean Up World's Oceans. Retrieved February 9, 2020, from https://www.livescience.com/53951-surfers-invent-floating-trash-bin.html

Recycling & Sustainability – The Seabin Project – Cleaner Oceans. (n.d.). Retrieved February 9, 2

020, from https://seabinproject.com/the-seabin-v5/recycling-sustainability/

Seabin using plastic to fight plastics. (2019, February 8). Retrieved February 9, 2020, from https://seabinproject.com/seabin-using-plastic-to-fight-plastics/

Seabin Project (2015, November 9). Cleaning our oceans one marina at a time. Retrieved February 9, 2020, from https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1902540740/seabin-project-cleaning-our-oceans-one-marina-at-a