THE GREAT PACIFIC GARBAGE PATCH

GPGP

A garbage patch of approximately 1.6 million square kilometres with a mass of 80,000 tonnes, the Great Pacific Garbage Patch GPGP for short, is located midway between Hawaii and California. It is one of the five accumulation zones in the ocean, containing around 1.8 trillion marine debris also called plastic soup  However, due to the yearly and interannual variabilities of winds and currents, its location and shape are constantly changing. Additionally, the marine life migrating through or populating the area and possibly, consuming plastic in the patch; may affect the food chain. Once plastic accesses the marine food chain, there's a possibility that it can affect the human food chain as well; a process known as bioaccumulation. As the plastic break into microplastics, it becomes more laborious to comprehend as they can be easier for marine life to consume. When plastic is consumed it continues to remain as it is non-biodegradable. Meaning it can still be consumed by other creatures and continue on the cycle.

How does it form a garbage patch? What does it affect?

Marine researcher Charles Moore discovered the Great Pacific Garbage Patch in 1977. Gradually evolving larger throughout the years, GPGP has formed by rotating ocean currents called gyres. Gyres pull marine debris in one location forming what we call plastic soup. Since plastic is non-biodegradable, it has stayed in the ocean for a long time. Developing in an environmental tragedy. As a result, 100 million marine animals die each year from plastic waste alone. As mentioned, once marine life consumes plastic, we could also be consuming plastic as we eat marine creatures such as fish. In addition, the plastic floating in the ocean are producing harmful chemicals into the water, which are likely entering the food chain and possibly block sunlight for algae. With fewer algae growing the marine food chain could undergo a negative pattern.