Conservative estimates are that some 3.5 million tons of plastic waste has accumulated in the Pacific Ocean in what has become known as the Great Garbage Patch.
We don’t need a forum here (although there are many on the web) to spell out the dangerous effects this plastic has on various ecosystems. Consumer electronics manufacturer Electrolux is raising public awareness about this issue with their "Vac from the Sea" intiative.
The interesting irony is that there exists a scarcity of recycled plastics needed to make sustainable home appliances. By teaming up with organisations like 5Gyres, Plastiki, B.E.A.C.H and Algalita Marine Research Foundation, Electrolux has used debris salvaged from the ocean to create a bespoke range of vacuum cleaners, the Vac from the Sea.
Plastic harvested from the Pacific, Indian and Atlantic Oceans, the Mediterranean and Baltic Sea were used to create five unique vacuum cleaners. All the vacs are properly functional, built using the same components as the Electrolux Ultra-Green Model.