Sofia Martinez
The Great Pacific Garbage Patch, also known as the Pacific Trash Vortex, is a gyre of marine debris particles in the central North Pacific Ocean. It is located between Hawaii and California and is one of several gyres or vortices caused by complex interactions of the Earth's spin and ocean currents, which have become clogged with man-made pollutants. The North Pacific Subtropical Gyre, formed by four currents, acts as a highway that moves debris from one patch to another. The gyre's rotational pattern draws in waste material from across the North Pacific, incorporating coastal waters off North America and Japan. As the material is captured in the currents, wind-driven surface currents gradually move the debris towards the centre, trapping it. The Great Pacific Garbage Patch is the largest accumulation of plastic in the open ocean, with similar patches found in the Atlantic Ocean and the North Atlantic Garbage Patch.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Common names | Plastic Vortex, Garbage Patch, Trash Vortex |
| Technical name | North Pacific Subtropical Convergence Zone |
| Location | North Pacific Ocean |
| Coordinates | 135°W to 155°W and 35°N to 42°N |
| Size | 1.6 million square kilometres (620,000 square miles) |
| Plastic density | 4 particles per cubic metre (3.1/cu yd) |
| Plastic weight | 45,000–129,000 metric tons |
| Plastic abundance (1999) | 335,000 items per square kilometre (870,000/sq mi) |
| Plastic weight (1999) | 5.1 kilograms per square kilometre (29 lb/sq mi) |
| Plastic source | Pacific Rim countries in Asia, North America, and South America |
| Impact | Marine life ingestion, toxins entering the food chain, environmental and human health hazards |
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What You'll Learn
The Great Pacific Garbage Patch
The patch is a result of ocean or marine pollution gathered by ocean currents. It occupies a relatively stationary region of the North Pacific Ocean bounded by the North Pacific Gyre in the horse latitudes. The gyre's rotational pattern draws in waste material from across the North Pacific, incorporating coastal waters off North America and Japan. As the material is captured in the currents, wind-driven surface currents gradually move debris toward the centre, trapping it.
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The Coriolis Force
The Great Pacific Garbage Patch, also known as the Pacific Trash Vortex, is a gyre of marine debris particles located in the central North Pacific Ocean. This gyre is a direct consequence of the Coriolis Force, which pushes wind and water in a clockwise circle in this region. The force creates a "convergence zone," where water collects in the centre, forming a vortex. This vortex acts as a trap for floating debris, including plastic waste, which accumulates due to the gentle winds and circulation.
The impact of these plastic vortices on marine life and human wellbeing is profound. The plastic debris in these convergence zones poses a direct hazard to marine animals, who ingest the plastic and other pollutants. As smaller organisms consume plastic, it enters the marine food chain, eventually reaching humans through commercial fishing. The complex interplay between the Coriolis Force, ocean currents, and human pollution has led to the formation of these plastic vortices, highlighting the urgent need to address plastic pollution on a global scale.
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The impact on marine life
The Great Pacific Garbage Patch, also known as the Pacific trash vortex, is a gyre of marine debris particles in the central North Pacific Ocean. It is located roughly from 135°W to 155°W and 35°N to 42°N and is believed to have increased "10-fold each decade" since 1945. The gyre contains approximately six pounds of plastic for every pound of plankton, and the plastic particles are often microscopic in size. This makes it difficult to detect, even by satellite imagery or casual boaters and divers in the area. The plastic in this vortex has been broken down into small particles by the sun's rays and ocean tides, and it accumulates in a spiralling pattern just below the ocean surface.
The impact of this plastic vortex on marine life is significant. Marine animals, including fish and seabirds, ingest the plastic waste, mistaking it for food. These plastics are often laden with toxic chemicals, turning them into "little toxic bombs" in the bodies of marine organisms. The toxins from these pollutants can then enter the human food chain, as the area is commercially fished. This has raised concerns about the direct hazard it poses to human health and wellbeing.
In addition to the ingestion of plastic waste, the chemicals in the vortex can also contaminate the water. These chemicals can act as hormone-affecting pollutants, further impacting the marine food chain. The toxins can accumulate in the bodies of marine organisms, leading to potential toxicity and even death. The impact of plastic waste on marine life may be more detrimental than the effects of climate change, according to some experts.
Efforts to address this issue include scientific expeditions to study the vortex and explore techniques for removing or recycling the waste. However, the location of the vortex in international waters presents challenges in terms of jurisdiction and government support for cleanup initiatives. Reducing plastic waste and improving waste management practices on land and at sea are crucial steps in mitigating the impact of plastic vortexes on marine life.
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The convergence zone
The "Plastic Vortex," also known as the "garbage patch," is located in the North Pacific Subtropical Convergence Zone. This zone is a few hundred kilometres north of Hawaii, where warm water from the South Pacific meets cooler water from the Arctic. The zone acts as a highway for debris, transporting it from one patch to another.
The Great Pacific Garbage Patch, also known as the Pacific Trash Vortex, is a gyre of marine debris particles within the Convergence Zone. This gyre is formed by four currents—the California Current, the North Equatorial Current, the Kuroshio Current, and the North Pacific Current—which rotate clockwise around an area of 20 million square kilometres (7.7 million square miles). The gyre's calm and stable centre acts as a trap for debris drawn in by the circular motion of the currents.
The plastic debris in the Great Pacific Garbage Patch originates from countries in Asia, North America, and South America around the Pacific Rim. The patch covers 1.6 million square kilometres (620,000 square miles) and consists of 45,000–129,000 metric tons of microplastics and larger items such as fishing gear. These microplastics, often microscopic, are suspended in the upper water column and can only be detected by chemical analysis or when the water takes on a cloudy soup-like appearance.
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The Eastern Garbage Patch
The impact of the Eastern Garbage Patch on marine life is significant. Fish, seabirds, and other marine animals ingest the plastic waste, and chemicals contaminate the water, leading to hormone-affecting pollutants entering the food chain. Toxins from the pollutants are also found in fish that are consumed by humans, posing a direct hazard to human wellbeing.
Efforts have been made to address the Eastern Garbage Patch, with the Ocean Cleanup project removing over one million pounds of trash from the area by the end of 2024. However, the patch is expected to continue growing, highlighting the urgent need for improved waste management practices and a reduction in plastic pollution.
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Frequently asked questions
The Great Pacific Garbage Patch is located in the North Pacific Ocean, halfway between Hawaii and California.
The Great Pacific Garbage Patch covers an estimated surface area of 1.6 million square kilometres, twice the size of Texas or three times the size of France.
The Pacific trash vortex, also known as the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, is one of several gyres or vortices caused by complex interactions of the Earth's spin and ocean currents, which have become clogged with man-made pollutants.
Yes, a similar patch of floating plastic debris is found in the Atlantic Ocean, called the North Atlantic Garbage Patch.
