Pacific Ocean to Receive Plastic Island

[tyler811]

Move over Hawaii -- there's a new vacation destination forming in the Pacific, and its name is "Recycled Island."
A Netherlands-based architecture company, WHIM, plans to contstruct the island from 97 million pounds of plastic floating in the Pacific Ocean, turning it into a fully sustainable island with enough space for half a million inhabitants, according to WHIM's Ramon Knoester.
Although plastic, the island will be green in both appearance and environmental impact. Knoester said he plans to recycle the plastic and construct the island on site, sparing the environment of long shipments across the ocean. The island will also be powered by wave and solar energy, and residents will be able to use seaweed as bio fuel and fertilizer

http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/island-recycled-plastic-form-pacific/story?id=11054077

 

[nick1985]

What happens when a typhoon hits it?

 

[ultimatebob]

Will this plastic island be in international waters? If so, can it claim independence and become the world's first artificial country?

 

[lxskllr]

It seems to me I read something similar on a much smaller scale a few years ago. If I remember right, it was more like a family sized island, and close to some shore, but it floated on plastic bottles.

 

[Eli]

That's pretty cool if it pans out.

 

[lxskllr]

Define feasible in your poll. If you mean their specific plan, than no; not in 5 years. If you mean something on any scale, then yes, I think it could be done.

 

[SneakyStuff]

Like others have said, weather systems and fire would be problematic. The idea of a self sustaining floating island is pretty interesting though.

 

[Gothgar]

just floating eh?

 

[I Saw OJ]

If they havent already started building it then there is no way in hell its getting finished in 5 years.

 

[Crono]

Why not just built it underwater and call it "Rapture".

 

[mugs]

WTF, that's half the size of New Jersey.

 

[zinfamous]

Will this plastic island be in international waters? If so, can it claim independence and become the world's first artificial country?

I'd say that by "artificial" standards (meaning non-terra ferma?), Sealand has that claim beat.

http://www.sealandgov.org/


...well, I guess they still have that "country" part to figure out.

 

[zinfamous]

i think it's not feasible because first pacific is a typhoon area so plastic will highly buoyant which can capsize the water and 2nd prone to fire.

well, if it's massive enough, wouldn't a typhoon simply amount to a "decent ride" for a few minutes?

 

[DrPizza]

I find the idea to be incredibly far-fetched. Not gonna happen.

 

[Crono]

I find the idea to be incredibly far-fetched. Not gonna happen.

Agreed.

And with "no timeline set", you know they aren't taking it that seriously, either. Probably an attempt to get outside investment in their company.

 

[Gibsons]

Was expecting a link to the Onion.

 

[Squisher]

It sounds like an idea concocted out of some post G20 protest get-together held at midnight at an Amsterdam hash bar.

 

[Perknose]

WTF, that's half the size of New Jersey.

Yet twice as appealing! Maybe John Gorka will write a song about it!

"It's like Ohio, only more so!"

 

[zinfamous]

I find the idea to be incredibly far-fetched. Not gonna happen.

well, the Dutch are behind it. If there's a nation of engineers that can accomplish this type of water-born project, it's certainly Holland.

so they have that going for them.

 

[AlienCraft]

It sounds like an idea concocted out of some post G20 protest get-together held at midnight at an Amsterdam hash bar.

You make that sound like a bad thing.What up wit dat?

 

[zinfamous]

It sounds like an idea concocted out of some post G20 protest get-together held at midnight at an Amsterdam hash bar.

haha, good point.

but they're still the best for this type of project.




:hmm:

 

[Dumac]

Sounds cool, but I doubt it will ever come to fruition.

 

[preslove]

The plastic breaks down into a poisonous soup, which is the main problem. If it was just plastic bottles, environmentalists would just send ships to collect it. There's absolutely no way to recycle it.

Here's a good video on the pacific gyre:
http://www.vbs.tv/watch/toxic/toxic-garbage-island-1-of-3

 

[Born2bwire]

The plastic breaks down into a poisonous soup, which is the main problem. If it was just plastic bottles, environmentalists would just send ships to collect it. There's absolutely no way to recycle it.

Here's a good video on the pacific gyre:
http://www.vbs.tv/watch/toxic/toxic-garbage-island-1-of-3

Yeah, my understanding when it comes to the plastic that is infesting the Pacific is that it has broken down into very small pieces. The plastic gets broken up, but the problem is that it doesn't decompose. So various fish and animals ingest the small pieces of plastic, amongst other problems that this presents. How the hell the expect to collect and harness this plastic is beyond me.

 

[geno]

What happens when a typhoon hits it?

Well it's still float...even if a typhoon does turn it upside down :awe: