The world’s second largest home appliance maker is going to be combing the oceans to look for discarded plastic to use in the making of six vacuum cleaners. The units will not be sold, but rather used to bring attention to the issue of plastic pollution, and the scarcity of recycled plastics.

At a time when the world is watching the BP oil spill cleanup with a critical eye, Electrolux will be implementing its ‘Vac From the Sea,’ initiative, which will see plastic either gathered by divers, or by scooping it out of waves as it travels ashore. The program looks to change the public’s perception on plastic recycling in order to lift uncertainties surrounding the supply of recycled materials.

“There are plastic islands, some several times the size of the state of Texas, floating in our oceans. Yet on land, we struggle to get hold of enough recycled plastics to meet the demand for sustainable vacuum cleaners,” said Cecilia Nord, a vice president at Electrolux.

Electrolux will be harvesting plastic from ‘garbage islands’ in the Pacific, Atlantic and Indian oceans, as well as from three European seas. The material will be used to make six showcase vacuum cleaners that the Swedish firm will put on display. For more information on how you can help, visit the Electrolux ‘Vac From the Sea‘ page.