Great Pacific Garbage Patch - Accumulation of Plastic Case Study

Gyre = Large scale circular currents in major oceans which are a product of wind patterns

• Composed of the Western Pacific garbage patch and Eastern Pacific garbage patch

Causes of Accumulation

• Plastics are long-lived - avg. 1000 years
• Increased demand for its usage
• 80% from land sources
• 20% comes from ships - a cruise ship creates 8 tonnes of rubbish per week
• At the centre of the gyre water is calm so plastic accumulates

Composition of Rubbish Found There

• Micro-plastics
• Found at the surface; also suspended several metres below the surface

Risks of Plastic Pollution

• Strangelation and drowning of seals and birds due to ingestion of plastic

• 693 species affected
• Large pieces of plastic wrap around animals
• High chance of human ingestion of plastic as we are at the top of the food chain (bioaccumulation) - 50 species of fish estimated to contain plastic
• Release of BPA which impairs reproduction