Ocean currents and marine vortices can push waste and form the so-called plastic islands. There are at least five in the world, the most famous of which is the one that resides in the North Pacific, between Hawaii and California. It is called the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, but what you see on the surface is only the tip of the iceberg, due to invisible microplastics.
If we talk about plastic islandsour memory might make us associate a famous name with the problem: the Great Pacific Garbage Patch in the Pacific Ocean. But this area, which has become known for its plastic pollution, is not the only one to boast sad records. The blame lies with marine currents and eddies, which push waste out of control.
There are five ocean gyres in the world that have, over time, favored an accumulation of plastic and debris in as many areas of the sea. The Pacific Ocean gyre is only one of the five, as it has a twin in the same area, plus two other relatives in the Atlantic Ocean and one in the Indian Ocean.
The Great Pacific Garbage Patch is the island that was formed between Hawaii and California and is the result of one of the vortices mentioned above. It is perhaps the most well-known accumulation of waste, even if the majority of the waste is not visible. Most of the debris is in fact made up of microplastics, with a thickness equal to or less than 5 mm and therefore difficult to detect.
But this does not mean that they are not harmful, since this waste is often mistaken by fish species for food, with all the consequences that this entails. The substances they are composed of, including colorants and additives, can also be released into the water, worsening the health of the seas and their inhabitants even indirectly.
What are plastic islands?
The term plastic islands is “picturesque” and realistic at the same time, as it highlights the seriousness of the problem of waste accumulation in the seas. It is estimated that plastic waste in the ocean equal to 8 tons every year. And this leads to imagine apocalyptic scenarios: it is said that by 2050 there will be more plastic in the sea than fish.
The islands of plastic make more concrete the panorama that awaits us if we do not reverse the trend, reducing the consumption of plastic materials and correctly recycling those that crowd our homes. If it is true that plastic takes 100 to 1000 years to degrade, we can also understand the extent of the damage.
In the sea, ocean currents and vortices, but also surface winds, cause debris to move and accumulate in specific areas. There are 5 famous vortices in the world, which have favored the birth of as many plastic islands. These are mountains of waste, which together would group together almost 270 thousand tons of plastic.
But if we think that these islands are visible from satellites and that they impose themselves as dense piles of waste, we must prepare to change our minds. In fact, microplastics make it more difficult to quantify the damage. On the other hand, sampling estimates leave no room for doubt. There are islands of 700 thousand square kilometers and others that exceed 15 million, double the size of the United States.
What are the largest plastic islands in the world?
Ocean currents, as seen, can move and accumulate waste in specific areas. There are five gyres that have favored the emergence of the largest plastic islands. To be precise, the North Atlantic gyre, the North Pacific gyre, the South Atlantic gyre, the South Pacific gyre, and the Indian Ocean gyre.
The five major gyres not only help the circulation of ocean waters, but unfortunately also help move marine debris, including man-made debris such as plastic, around the world. And since the beaches are full of waste of all kinds that ends up in the water, those that do not sink and do not biodegrade immediately, tend to worsen the health of the seas by feeding the garbage islands.
Great Pacific Garbage Patch
The Great Pacific Garbage Patch, located between Hawaii and California, is one of the plastic islands most famous in the world. Its area is over 1.6 million square kilometers, three times the size of France. The area is made up of millions of tons of plastic waste, including bottles, bags and microplastics.
Indian Ocean Garbage Patch
Another famous plastic island is the Indian Ocean Garbage Patch, located off the coast of Africa. It is estimated to be twice the size of Texas and contains approximately 1.3 million tons of plastic waste.
The North Pacific Subtropical Gyre
The North Pacific Subtropical Gyre, also known as the Pacific Garbage Cannabis Gyre, is a patch of plastic located between Japan and Hawaii. It is estimated to be 700,000 square kilometers in size and contains approximately 80,000 tons of plastic waste.
Sources
Source: www.greenstyle.it
