Explained
At Race for Oceans Technology, we believe that understanding the problem is the first step toward solving it.
This page is dedicated to explaining the science, the challenge, and the technology behind our mission. Here, you can explore how plastic pellets, one of the world’s largest sources of microplastic pollution, end up in our nature, why they are so difficult to collect, and how our AI-driven detection system is designed to change that.
We translate complex environmental data into clear insights, showing how innovation, collaboration, and citizen science can create real impact for our oceans, our planet, and our shared future.
Plastic Pellets
Plastic pellets, also known as nurdles, are the raw material used to make most of the world’s plastic products. They are small, round granules, typically 2–6 millimeters in diameter, and are classified as primary microplastics when they end up in nature.
For more than 65 years, plastic pellets have been unintentionally spilled during production and transport. Once released, they spread across coastlines and ecosystems, where they are impossible to collect by hand and often mistaken for food by marine animals.
Because plastic pellets are manufactured and traceable, they offer a unique opportunity: through AI-based detection and mapping, we can identify and remove them without harming biodiversity, turning an invisible problem into a visible solution.
How AI helps
Our AI helps make the invisible visible. By analyzing thousands of images collected from coastlines and communities, our system learns to detect and map tiny plastic pellets that can’t be seen or collected by hand.
Once identified, the data is used to guide drones and terrain-adapted robots, allowing for precise cleanups that protect biodiversity and reduce pollution.
Through AI, we transform complex environmental challenges into clear, actionable insights, showing how technology and people together can create real impact for our planet.
Data Politics
When you submit images or data to Race for Oceans Technology, you become part of a global effort to protect our planet.
All data collected through our platform is used solely for environmental and research purposes; to train and improve our AI detection system that identifies and maps plastic pollution.
Your images are stored securely and processed anonymously, meaning no personal information is shared or connected to the data. The purpose of each contribution is clearly defined, and contributors can request to have their data removed at any time.
We collaborate with trusted research partners and technology institutions to ensure that all data is handled responsibly, ethically, and in full compliance with GDPR.
By contributing, you help us build better tools to detect, understand, and reduce plastic pollution, together creating transparent technology for a cleaner and more sustainable future.