The Smart Grapple is capable of lifting individual items of trash weighing up to 250 kilograms (550 pounds). Andreas Schmitz/TUM

Marine litter is a major environmental problem. Abandoned containers and fishing gear can trap or strangle animals, and plastic waste can break down into microplastics, which can release chemicals into the water that get into the food chain . Some research suggests that eating microplastic might even interfere with plankton’s ability to store carbon at the bottom of the ocean , which could impact climate change.

Between 1950 and 2020, 32 million metric tons of plastic accumulated in the ocean, according to one estimate — the weight of over 200,000 blue whales. Without any additional action, that figure is expected to reach 76 million tons by 2040.

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