#Great pacific garbage from space Patch

The patches are connected by a thin, 6,000-mile (9,656-kilometer) long current called the Subtropical Convergence Zone.

#Great pacific garbage from space Patch

The Western Garbage Patch forms east of Japan and west of Hawaii.Įach swirling mass of refuse is massive and collects trash from all over the world. The Eastern Garbage Patch floats on the West Coast between Hawaii and California scientists estimate its size as two times bigger than Texas. Rather than one large and continuous patch, the Great Pacific Garbage Patch actually consists of two mobile areas of relatively high concentrations of rapidly accumulating plastic trash, known as the Western and Eastern Pacific Garbage Patches. These two patches are known as the Western Garbage Patch, located near Japan, and the Eastern Garbage Patch, located between Hawaii and California. The term 'Great Pacific Garbage Patch' often refers to two separate accumulations of marine debris in the North Pacific Ocean, primarily composed of plastics and other waste materials. And with storms increasing in frequency and intensity due to climate change, this negative feedback loop will only likely increase in the future.

This event illustrates how natural disasters can exacerbate existing environmental challenges, leading to a substantial influx of debris in marine ecosystems and highlighting the interconnectedness of natural phenomena and pollution.

The prevailing ocean currents then transported this debris across the Pacific, contributing significantly to the concentration of waste in the garbage patch. The immense and powerful tidal waves generated by the tsunami swept an unprecedented amount of waste into the ocean. It appears the 2011 tsunami in Japan had a profound impact on the accumulation of debris in the North Pacific Garbage Patch. The amount of garbage of Japanese origins suprised researchers. What Countries are Most to Blame?Ī study of the origins of the patch discovered that China, Japan, South Korea, the US, and Taiwan are likely responsible for contributing 87 percent of fishing waste to the North Pacific garbage patch annually. Post-consumer WasteĪccording to the United Nations Environment Programme, about 36 percent of plastic production goes towards packaging - think plastic bottles, lids, wrappers and bags - approximately 85 percent of which ends up in landfills or as 'unregulated waste' (litter).Īny plastic item that ends up in the landfill or is otherwise discarded is highly likely to eventually find its way to the ocean.

Discarded fishing gear like synthetic fishing nets and plastic lines account for 10 percent of the floating plastic debris in the ocean. Although aquatic sources account for only a fraction of the 75 to 199 million metric tons of plastic debris in the ocean, they are responsible for most beach litter.