A satellite capable of capturing and de-orbiting a derelict object has been launched and will soon begin testing. If successful, it will help prevent collisions which flood the orbital paths with deadly debris.
In my opinion, the owner of the defunct satellite should pay for the expense of a retrieval mission. If this can be enforced, spacefarers would find it economical to include reliable de-orbiting systems into their spacecraft.
Real Simple Astronomy 
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