Billionaire wants to clean plastic soup

oslo - Norwegian billionaire Kjell Inge Roekke promises to put most of his ability to remove the plastic soup from the world's seas. The former fisherman, who started to grow in the oil industry, is starting to fund a ship that is investigating the floating plastic waste in the oceans.

'I want to return most of what I deserved to society,' says Roekke in an interview with Aftenposten. He did not mention an exact amount. The ship must fish five tons of plastic daily from the water. The waste is melted and processed on the ship. On board, there are also 60 scientists investigating pollution in the oceans.

Roekke did not want to say how much the ship will cost and what expenses he wants to do more. The entrepreneur says he is looking for cooperation with the World Food Fund (WWF). WWF knew not to agree with Roekke's vision of oil extraction, but said it would be open for the plastic soup to be reduced.

Estimates about the amount of plastic in the oceans differ, but scientists certainly say it is worth millions of tons. That plastic breaks apart and eventually ends up with fish and birds in the food chain. The most polluting countries are in Asia. China is a leader in plastic.\n  \n   \n    \n    \n   \n   \n   \n      \n   \n     Kjell Inge Roekke wants to make a start to reduce the plastic soup in the oceans.\n    \n   \n     Photo: EPA

Also read: 'Plastic soup' cleaned up for Dutch coast