http://www.newsweek.com/japan-laser-dangerous-space-junk-debris-1724975

From magnets to harpoons, various methods have been proposed and tested over the years to eliminate the growing problem of space junk. One researcher is leading efforts in a more sci-fi direction: lasers.

Space junk is a well-documented and growing problem. Now more than ever, modern life is underpinned by the thousands of satellites that orbit our planet, providing location data for our GPS systems, military intelligence, and telecommunications.