Chloe Zhang
The Great Pacific Garbage Patch, also known as the 7th Continent, is a pile of plastic waste located in the Pacific Ocean. It is one of five plastic continents, including two in the Pacific Ocean (one in the North and one in the South), two in the Atlantic Ocean (one in the North and one in the South), and one in the Indian Ocean. These plastic continents are formed by ocean currents transporting marine debris, creating accumulation zones. The Great Pacific Garbage Patch is the largest of these accumulation zones, covering an estimated surface area of 1.6 million square kilometers, or three times the size of France.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of plastic continents | 5 |
| Location of plastic continents | North Pacific, South Pacific, North Atlantic, South Atlantic, and Indian Oceans |
| Other affected areas | Mediterranean Sea, Black Sea |
| Largest plastic continent | North Pacific |
| Size of largest plastic continent | 3.4 million square kilometres or 1.6 million square kilometres |
| Size of Great Pacific Garbage Patch | Twice the size of Texas or three times the size of France |
| Totality of Great Pacific Garbage Patch | 80,000 tons of waste or 1.8 billion pieces of plastic |
| Plastic waste dumped in oceans annually | 1.15-2.41 million tons or 8 million tons |
| Percentage of plastic waste in surface waters that are microplastics | 90% |
| Plastic waste in Great Pacific Garbage Patch | Crates, hard hats, Nintendo Gameboy covers, fishing nets, megaplastics, mesoplastics, macroplastics, microplastics |
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What You'll Learn
The Great Pacific Garbage Patch
The GPGP was discovered in 1997 by Charles J. Moore, a racing boat captain sailing from Hawaii to California. It is estimated that the patch covers 1.6 million square kilometres, an area twice the size of Texas or three times the size of France. The mass of the plastic in the GPGP has been estimated to be approximately 100,000 tonnes, with over 1.8 trillion pieces of plastic. However, the size of the patch is indefinite, as large items are uncommon, and it is composed of mostly microscopic particles called microplastics. These microplastics are often smaller than 5mm, which means they cannot be seen by the naked eye and are ingested by marine life.
The existence of life in the Great Pacific Garbage Patch has been confirmed by Benoît Lecomte, a Franco-American swimmer who, in 2019, reported to scientists that he had discovered life amidst the pollution. This was confirmed by a study in April 2002, which revealed the presence of neustons, algae, crabs, mollusks, and cnidarians (a family of jellyfish, corals, and sea anemones). Some scientists are concerned that the mix of coastal and open-ocean species in the patch may result in unnatural communities, where coastal creatures compete with or consume open-ocean species.
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The impact of plastic pollution
One of the most significant impacts of plastic pollution is its deadly effect on wildlife. Marine animals, such as sea turtles, seabirds, seals, and other marine mammals, are particularly vulnerable. They often mistake plastic for food, leading to internal injuries, intestinal blockages, and even starvation. It is estimated that half of the sea turtles worldwide have ingested plastic, and hundreds of thousands of seabirds meet their end with stomachs full of plastic. Endangered species like the Hawaiian monk seal and the Pacific loggerhead sea turtle are also at risk, with plastic debris found in their habitats and nurseries.
Plastic pollution also contributes to the spread of invasive species. Organisms, including bacteria, diatoms, and other microorganisms, cling to plastics and are transported over vast distances by currents. This disrupts the balance of ecosystems as invasive species are introduced to new environments. Additionally, the bacteria that grow on plastics in gyres differ from the natural marine bacteria, further exacerbating the ecological impact.
The accumulation of plastic waste in the oceans has led to the formation of "plastic continents" or the "seventh continent." These are vast areas of plastic pollution accumulation, with the largest being in the North Pacific, nearly six times the size of France. The plastic continents are composed of macroplastics and microplastics, with the latter making up 90% of the plastic waste in the surface waters. The Great Pacific Garbage Patch, also known as the seventh continent, has even developed its own population of algae, crabs, mollusks, and cnidarians, further complicating the ecological implications.
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The seventh continent
The Great Pacific Garbage Patch was discovered in 1997 by Charles J. Moore and is the largest of the five plastic continents, covering an estimated surface area of 1.6 million square kilometers, or 3.4 million square kilometers according to another source, which is nearly six times the size of France. The patch is composed of a variety of plastic items, ranging from small fragments to larger objects such as crates, hard hats, and meter-sized fishing nets. The plastic within the patch has been categorized into four size classes: microplastics (0.05-0.5 cm), mesoplastics (0.5-5 cm), macroplastics (5-50 cm), and megaplastics (over 50 cm).
The accumulation of plastic in the Great Pacific Garbage Patch has severe environmental consequences. One of the most concerning impacts is the presence of a diverse range of organisms, including invasive species, that cling to the plastics and are transported over vast distances by currents. This includes bacteria, diatoms, fish, algae, shellfish, and even larger creatures such as crabs and mollusks. The plastic provides a habitat for these organisms, allowing them to settle and thrive, which can disrupt the balance of ecosystems.
Additionally, the plastic waste in the Great Pacific Garbage Patch breaks down into smaller microplastics over time due to the effects of sun, waves, and marine life. These microplastics, which are smaller than 5mm in size, can be easily ingested by marine fauna and end up in the food chain, ultimately reaching our plates of fish and other seafood. The concentration of microplastics in the patch is increasing exponentially, indicating that the input of plastic is greater than the output. This highlights the urgency of addressing plastic pollution and implementing effective waste management strategies to mitigate the environmental and human health risks associated with these plastic continents.
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The plastic waste in the ocean
The plastic waste in these accumulation areas is primarily composed of macroplastics, which make up 10% of the total plastic waste in the ocean. The remaining 90% is made up of microplastics, which are plastic residues smaller than 5 mm that can be easily ingested by marine fauna and end up in our seafood. These microplastics are formed when larger plastics degrade under the effects of the sun, waves, and marine life. The Great Pacific Garbage Patch, for example, contains a variety of plastic items, including crates, a hard hat, a Nintendo Gameboy cover, and derelict fishing gear such as nets and ropes. Some of these items were produced as early as the 1970s and 1980s, indicating that plastic pollution has been an ongoing issue for several decades.
Efforts are being made to address the issue of plastic waste in the ocean. Organisations like Ocean Cleanup are involved in initiatives and projects to clean up the oceans. However, it is important to act quickly and recover as much plastic waste as possible before it disintegrates into microplastics, which are more challenging to remove. Additionally, there is a need to develop and implement sustainable waste management practices, such as transforming plastic waste into useful products like roads, fuel, or bio-oil, to reduce plastic pollution and achieve circular economy goals.
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The accumulation of plastic in the open ocean
The plastic waste in these accumulation zones has severe environmental consequences. For instance, a diverse range of organisms, including fish, algae, shellfish, bacteria, diatoms, and other microorganisms, cling to the plastics and are carried thousands of kilometers by ocean currents, posing a threat to the balance of ecosystems. Additionally, as plastics break down into smaller microplastics due to the effects of the sun, waves, and marine life, they become more easily ingested by marine fauna and can end up in the seafood that humans consume, ultimately entering our bodies.
The Great Pacific Garbage Patch has also been found to support its own population of organisms, including neustons, algae, crabs, mollusks, and cnidarians such as jellyfish, corals, and sea anemones. These species, which are thought to originate from the coast, settle on plastic waste in a similar manner to how they would settle on pieces of wood. The presence of these organisms further complicates the issue of plastic pollution and its impact on the environment.
While the existence of these plastic continents highlights the detrimental effects of human activity on the oceans, it is important to recognize that efforts are being made to address this issue. Organizations such as Ocean Cleanup are dedicated to cleaning up the oceans and promoting initiatives for responsible production and consumption to achieve a circular economy by 2030. Additionally, there is a focus on transforming plastic waste into useful products, such as constructing roads, manufacturing fuel, and turning waste into bio-oil, to reduce plastic pollution. However, it is crucial to act quickly to recover as much plastic waste as possible before it further degrades into microplastics and exacerbates the problem.
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Frequently asked questions
There are 5 plastic continents, also known as the 7th continent.
The plastic continents are called the Great Pacific Garbage Patch (the largest), and the other four are located in the North and South Pacific, North and South Atlantic, and the Indian Ocean.
The plastic continents formed due to ocean currents transporting marine debris, creating accumulation zones.
The plastic continents have severe environmental impacts, with large amounts of plastic waste polluting the oceans and endangering marine ecosystems.
Yes, organizations like Ocean Cleanup are working to clean up the oceans and reduce plastic pollution. However, it is important to act quickly as most plastic waste eventually breaks down into microplastics.
