Trash-collecting systems are being deployed in the Pacific Ocean to pick up floating plastic, which will then be taken — where?

There is something fishy in the figures in the article. If the system removes 5 tons per month, that is 60 tons per year. To remove 80,000 tons would require 1333 1/3 years.

Perhaps the 5 tons per month figure is for one structure and they plan to have 33 1/3 of them.

The article lists reasons why this method, even if it works, cannot be a full solution to the plastic waste problem.