The Garbage Patch

Created & Developed by Borehamwood IT

There are many misconceptions in the media about what the Great Pacific Garbage Patch is. It is NOT an island of rubbish, it is in fact a vast area of water in which plastic particles are suspended mostly the size of confetti or smaller, some researchers have described it as a soup. The areas affected by can be extremely vast from 270,000 square miles to more than 5,800,000 square miles. We have no idea how much of the ocean is affected by this, that is why we need to do this research to try and help in any way possible.

The Great Pacific Garbage Patch is located within the North Pacific Gyre, located roughly between 135° to 155°W and 35° to 42°N , it is one of the five major gyres. Garbage has been shown to be in all of the oceans and all of the gyres.

The patch is characterized by extremely high concentrations of pelagic plastics, chemical sludge and other debris trapped by the currents. Large items of plastic which are easily seen are extremely uncommon, the problem lies with the small plastic particles suspended at or just below the surface, making it impossible to detect by satellite etc. These small plastic particles are mistaken by fish and aquatic organisms as food, thus meaning that the plastic has entered the food chain and ultimately will end up on our dinner plates!

The Garbage Patch