Electrolux has just embarked on a quest: to collect the debris from plastic islands in the ocean and turn them into a line of 6 vacuum cleaners, each representing one of the following bodies of water: the Pacific, the Atlantic, the Indian Ocean, the Mediterranean, the Baltic Sea, and the North Sea. The quest intends to bring attention to the issue of plastic pollution in the ocean (see the Great Pacific Garbage Patch) and to combat the scarcity of recycled plastics needed to make home appliances. The initiative is entitled Vac from the Sea.

From Hans Stråberg, the President and CEO of Electrolux:

Our oceans are filled with plastic waste. Yet on land, there is a shortage of recycled plastic. The supply of sustainable raw material, such as recycled plastic, is crucial for making sustainable appliances, and assisting consumers in making their homes greener. I therefore hope people will join us in raising awareness about the threat plastic poses to marine habitats, and the urgent need for taking better care of the plastic that already exists.

Maybe you're wondering what this vac might look like—after all the plastic is melted down would it transform into some kind of muddy gray or brown? The Electrolux design team has done a preliminary concept sketch representing how these plastic might be treated, and we love it: the scavenged plastic will be pressed/melted together, kind of like those little plastic beads kids iron together into pixelated shapes, but better. It remains to be seen what will happen when they begin working with the material, but we hope it stays multi-colored.

The debris will be collected by whatever means possible: diving, fishing or scavenging. Anyone interested in getting involved or following the endeavor should check the Vac from the Sea website.

For more info, watch the video just after the jump.