We have a plastic problem

While images of the garbage patch are shocking, what lies below the surface is more concerning. Though large macroplastics are the most visible waste in the patch and contribute to the greatest portion of its mass, upwards of 94% of plastics in the Great Pacific Garbage Patch are microplastics less than .5 µm (micrometers) in size.

All of that plastic in circulation breaks down over time, a process that is significantly accelerated if the plastic is floating in the ocean or other waterways. Waves, sunlight, and animals swimming through and around the plastics wear them down, eroding large pieces into smaller ones, until they become microplastics. Microplastics can be picked up by wind and pass through mesh filters, leading them to be found in many surprising places including, as mentioned earlier, bottled water. If you can’t trust the bottled water you drink to not be tainted with plastic, where can you find clean drinking water?

At rOcean, we care deeply about addressing the full extent of the plastic waste crisis, from overall reduction in plastic waste to removing microplastics from drinking water. Because rOcean connects directly to your tap, you have a virtually limitless supply of microplastic-free drinking water that can also be carbonated and flavored the way you like it, without needing to buy a plastic water bottle first. We built all of this into a single slim device to ensure that your water is not only always plastic free, but that you never need to consume your favorite water beverages from plastic containers again.

rOcean is taking a stand against plastic waste and the proliferation of microplastics by designing home-appliances that make tap water cleaner, safer, and exactly how you like it. But this is just the start of something much larger than any one company or consumer product. Governments around the world need to develop comprehensive plans for dealing with plastic pollution. For starters, countries can actively reduce plastic production and encourage development of alternatives materials. Whole categories of chemicals used in plastic that are toxic and don’t break down can and should be phased out, and consumers need to be better educated about recycling, composting and burning waste. As it stands, people only recycle about 30% of their plastic water bottles, compared to 70% of their cardboard.

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