Part 4/11:
This meticulous modeling allows them to observe how plastic behaves within their systems in slow motion, providing insights impossible to glean from real-world operations. By 3D printing replicas of different plastic types—bottles, barrels, microplastics—engineers can adjust physical properties like density and simulate how waste might slip under or over the barriers. Each test helps improve the design, making future cleanup more efficient, less energy-intensive, and capable of capturing more debris with fewer resources.