Plastic Island in the Pacific Ocean

Not too far North from the island of Hawaii, there is a large patch of plastic garbage. The patch is estimated to be twice the size of France. The patch is referred to as “The Great Pacific Garbage Patch” and has been also described as the “Plastic Patch Vortex”. The patch is characterized by exceptionally high concentrations of suspended plastic, chemical sludge, and other debris that have been trapped by the currents of the North Pacific Ocean.

The patch is not visible from satellite photography because it consists of very small pieces, almost invisible to the naked eye and most of its contents are floating beneath the surface of the ocean. The plastic patch island will photo degrade into smaller and smaller pieces and will concentrate in the upper water column. As it disintegrates, the plastic ultimately becomes small enough to be ingested by aquatic organisms which reside near the ocean’s surface. Plastic waste thus enters the food chain through its concentration in the organisms living on top of water or right under the surface. (Such as: fish, beetles, bacteria and spiders)

Some of these long-lasting plastics end up in the stomachs of marine birds and animals baby chicks. Also the particles are danger to wildlife and the floating debris can absorb organic pollutants from seawater. Aside from toxic effects, when ingested, some of these are mistaken by the endocrine system as Estradiol (a sex hormone), causing hormone disruption in the affected animal. These toxin-containing plastic pieces are also eaten by jellyfish, which are then eaten by larger fish. Many of these fish are then consumed by humans, resulting in their ingestion of toxic chemicals.

As always people don’t think about the consequences of their actions which eventually in a not so far future will affect them. Many believe that because of the invisibility of the patch, actions aren’t necessary yet. About 80 percent of the garbage originates from land. There are some organizations that are studying the patch for proper removal. The size of the patch remains unknown although it has been estimated to be around 100 million tons. I for one believe that something must be done urgently to prevent further damages.