AWS and The Ocean Cleanup Partner to Accelerate Ocean Plastic Removal with AI

July 15, 2025

Details

  • AWS and The Ocean Cleanup announced a collaboration on July 15, 2025, leveraging AI and cloud computing to remove 90% of floating ocean plastic by 2040.
  • The partnership combines The Ocean Cleanup's existing plastic capture systems with AWS's artificial intelligence, machine learning, and cloud infrastructure.
  • AWS will develop AI-powered plastic tracking systems using IoT, satellites, and drones, plus cloud-based marine life protection tools to reduce human monitoring needs.
  • The Ocean Cleanup has removed 29 million kg of plastic since 2019, but faces challenges in locating dispersed plastic fragments across the Great Pacific Garbage Patch.
  • Research confirms plastic pollution reduces ocean carbon sequestration by 15-30 million tons/year, while cleanup operations have a 0.4-2.9 million ton carbon footprint, yielding net environmental benefit.

Impact

This collaboration addresses a critical bottleneck in large-scale ocean cleanup by enabling precise plastic detection and efficient resource deployment. It establishes a template for applying enterprise cloud/AI capabilities to environmental challenges, potentially accelerating The Ocean Cleanup's 2040 goal. The model could inspire similar tech-ecology partnerships for global conservation efforts.

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