Greta Jimenez
Marine debris is a pressing pollution problem affecting oceans and waterways. Gyres, large systems of circulating ocean currents, collect this debris, forming garbage patches. The most well-known example is the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, located in the North Pacific Gyre, but there are four other major gyres: the South Pacific Gyre, the North and South Atlantic Gyres, and the Indian Ocean Gyre. These gyres draw in pollution from coastal areas, including plastic waste, derelict fishing gear, and abandoned vessels, threatening marine life and ecosystems. While the impact of plastic pollution in gyres has gained significant media attention, addressing this issue requires local, national, and international efforts to reduce, manage, and clean up marine debris.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of gyres | 5 |
| Locations of gyres | North Pacific, South Pacific, North Atlantic, South Atlantic, Indian Ocean |
| Types of debris | Microplastics, derelict fishing gear, abandoned vessels, litter, heavy metals, oil spills, fertilizer, plastic detergent bottles, crates, buoys, combs, water bottles |
| Impact on marine life | Marine organisms are consuming plastic from the garbage patch, including sea turtles, Laysan albatross chicks, and fish |
| Impact on humans | Heavy metals and other contaminants can accumulate in seafood, making it harmful for humans to consume |
| Sources of plastic pollution | 90% of plastic in the ocean comes from 10 rivers, 80% of plastic comes from land-based sources, and 20% comes from boats and other marine sources |
| Efforts to address the problem | MARPOL Annex V, Honolulu Strategy, Clean Seas global campaign, Save our Seas Act of 2018, Plastic Pollution Coalition, Plastic Oceans Foundation |
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What You'll Learn
The Great Pacific Garbage Patch
The garbage patch is made up of a wide range of debris, from microplastics to large bundles of derelict fishing gear and abandoned vessels. Microplastics dominate the area by count, but 92% of the mass of the patch consists of larger objects. Some of the plastic is over 50 years old, and includes items such as plastic lighters, toothbrushes, water bottles, pens, baby bottles, cell phones, plastic bags, and nurdles. The patch is believed to have increased "10-fold each decade" since 1945, and is rapidly accumulating more plastic.
The Ocean Cleanup, a scientific organization, has been working to clean up the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. By the end of 2024, they had removed more than one million pounds of trash from the patch, or 0.5% of the total accumulated trash. The Great Pacific Garbage Patch is a stark reminder of the persistent problem of marine debris and plastic pollution in our oceans, and the need for local, national, and international efforts to address this environmental crisis.
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Marine debris and microplastics
The most well-known example of a gyre accumulating trash is the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, located in the North Pacific Gyre. This patch is an area of concentrated (mostly plastic) marine debris, with a mixture of tiny microplastics and scattered larger items, such as fishing gear. While this is the most infamous garbage patch, it is not the only one in the ocean. Researchers have discovered two more areas with similar characteristics—one in the South Pacific Ocean and the other in the North Atlantic. These garbage patches are constantly changing in size and shape due to winds and currents, and the debris can be found from the ocean surface to the ocean floor.
Microplastics, defined as plastic particles smaller than 5 mm, are a significant component of the marine debris in the gyres. They can be ingested by marine animals, leading to potential harm or death, and can also enter the human food chain through the consumption of seafood. A recent study suggested that humans may be consuming anywhere from 39,000 to 52,000 microplastic particles annually. Additionally, microplastics can enter the ocean through atmospheric transport, as they have been identified as a component of dust in samples collected in both wet and dry environments.
The presence of marine debris and microplastics in the gyres highlights the need for a shift from cleanup to the prevention of plastic emissions from land and maritime sources. It also underscores the importance of further scientific research to better understand the sources, transport, transformation, and impacts of plastics in the marine environment, as well as the development of international policies and initiatives to address this global environmental issue.
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Impact on marine life and food webs
Gyres are large systems of circulating ocean currents that draw in marine debris, including plastic pollution, from coastal areas. The five gyres—the North Atlantic Gyre, the South Atlantic Gyre, the North Pacific Gyre, the South Pacific Gyre, and the Indian Ocean Gyre—have a significant impact on the ocean, influencing climate and marine ecosystems.
The impact of marine debris, including plastic pollution, on marine life and food webs is extensive. Marine debris can harm or kill marine animals through ingestion or entanglement and can also interfere with navigation safety and pose a threat to human health. Plastic pollution has been found in seafood and sea salt, with heavy metals and other contaminants accumulating in seafood, making it harmful for human consumption. Microplastics, in particular, can be ingested by fish and other species that filter their food from the water. Studies have reported contamination in hundreds of species of wildlife, leading to laceration of tissues, mortality, and declines in population size. Plastic debris has also been correlated with disease in coral reefs.
The concentration of marine debris in gyres, or "garbage patches," can have far-reaching effects on marine food webs. These patches are formed by large, rotating ocean currents that pull debris into one location, often the centre of the gyre, where currents are weakest. While the term "garbage patch" may evoke images of islands of trash, these areas actually consist of debris ranging in size from microplastics to large bundles of derelict fishing gear. The Great Pacific Garbage Patch in the North Pacific Gyre is the most well-known example, but similar patches have been discovered in the South Pacific Ocean and the North Atlantic.
The risk of ingestion and entanglement of marine debris is highest where foraging grounds overlap with accumulation areas of floating anthropogenic marine debris (AMD). Species that ingest small microplastics, such as many fishes and surface-foraging seabirds, are at particularly high risk in subtropical gyres, where hydrographic features concentrate food and floating plastics. In contrast, species that ingest larger plastic items may encounter them closer to continental coasts. The risk of entanglement for marine vertebrates is also higher in areas with large amounts of derelict fishing gear or ghost nets, such as the North Pacific subtropical convergence zone.
The impact of marine debris on food webs extends beyond individual species to entire ecosystems. Overfishing, for example, can remove top predators and key forage species, disrupting trophic dynamics and leading to trophic cascades. In subtropical regions, where biological productivity is already limited, overfishing can have more drastic effects, allowing ecosystems to become dominated by jellyfish or less valuable species. Additionally, deep-sea mining activities within ocean gyres can create sediment plumes that smother organisms and disrupt long-established ecological processes. The slow recovery rate of deep-sea ecosystems means that the long-term impacts of mining are predicted to be significant and largely irreversible.
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Pollution sources and transport
Pollution in the gyres is a significant environmental issue, with plastic debris being the most common form of pollution. Marine debris, including plastic, can originate from a variety of sources and is transported by ocean currents, winds, and other factors.
Sources of Pollution in the Gyres
The majority of marine debris, about 80%, comes from land-based sources, such as littering, poor waste management practices, stormwater discharge, and extreme natural events like hurricanes and tsunamis. The remaining 20% comes from boats and other marine sources, including derelict fishing gear and abandoned vessels.
Some specific examples of land-based sources include plastic detergent bottles, crates, buoys, combs, and water bottles, which have been found polluting coastal areas like Kanapou Bay in Hawaii. Additionally, about 90% of the plastic in the ocean originates from just ten rivers, with five of them passing through China. These rivers include the Yangtze, Yellow, Hai, Pearl, Amur, Mekong, Indus, and Ganges Delta rivers in Asia, and the Niger and Nile rivers in Africa.
Transport of Pollution into the Gyres
Once plastic and other debris enter the ocean, they are transported by ocean currents, winds, and surface currents. The term "gyre" traditionally refers to large, rotating ocean currents that circulate ocean waters and drive the oceanic conveyor belt. There are five major gyres: the North and South Pacific Subtropical Gyres, the North and South Atlantic Subtropical Gyres, and the Indian Ocean Subtropical Gyre.
The circular motion of the gyres pulls debris into their centers, creating garbage patches. The most famous example is the Great Pacific Garbage Patch in the North Pacific Gyre, which was discovered by Captain Charles Moore in 1996. Garbage patches are not solid islands of trash but rather areas of concentrated marine debris, ranging from microplastics to large items like derelict fishing gear.
The size and shape of these garbage patches are constantly changing due to winds and currents, and the debris can be found from the ocean surface to the ocean floor. While some debris floats, most of it, about 94%, eventually sinks to the ocean floor. The transport of pollution into the gyres and the formation of garbage patches have significant ecological impacts, disrupting marine food webs and affecting various species, including humans.
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International policies and efforts
One of the earliest international policies addressing plastic pollution in the oceans was MARPOL (International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships) Annex V, which came into force in 1988. This annex included a complete ban on dumping plastic from ships. Subsequently, in 2011, the Honolulu Strategy was developed by the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the UN Environment Programme (UNEP). This strategy serves as a planning tool to reduce plastic pollution and its impacts.
In February 2017, UNEP launched the Clean Seas global campaign on marine litter, encouraging individuals, industries, and member states to voluntarily take action to reduce plastic pollution. This campaign has seen widespread participation, with many countries enacting legislation to limit, tax, or ban unnecessary single-use plastic items such as plastic bags, takeout containers, and bottles.
In 2019, a significant development took place when 187 countries adopted a change to the Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and Their Disposal, aiming to restrict international trade in plastics. Additionally, the United Nations is considering a new international agreement focused on plastics in the environment, recognizing the urgency of addressing this global issue.
At the national level, the United States passed the Save our Seas Act of 2018, which amends and reauthorizes the Marine Debris Act. This Act promotes international action, authorizes cleanup and response measures, and enhances coordination among federal agencies to tackle marine debris. Furthermore, the 2021 Break Free From Plastic Pollution Act is a comprehensive federal bill that aims to address the plastic pollution crisis in the US.
Non-profit organizations, such as the Oceanic Society, Plastic Pollution Coalition, 5 Gyres, Algalita, and the Plastic Soup Foundation, are also actively working to reduce and eliminate ocean plastic pollution. These organizations rely on donations and engage in various initiatives, including beach cleanups and advocacy for high-impact policies. Their efforts have led to a growing global movement to fight plastic waste and encourage individual action to improve ocean health.
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Frequently asked questions
A gyre is a large system of rotating ocean currents, like a slow-moving whirlpool. There are five major gyres: the North and South Pacific Subtropical Gyres, the North and South Atlantic Subtropical Gyres, and the Indian Ocean Subtropical Gyre.
Marine debris is a significant issue in the gyres, particularly plastic pollution. Plastic debris can be found in all ocean basins, ecosystems, habitats, and food webs, including seafood and sea salt. Plastic pollution in the gyres can take the form of microplastics, larger items such as derelict fishing gear, and abandoned vessels.
Plastic pollution enters the gyres through a variety of sources, including littering, poor waste management practices, stormwater discharge, and extreme natural events such as tsunamis and hurricanes. Once in the ocean, currents, winds, and surface tides transport plastics and contribute to the formation of garbage patches within the gyres.
Plastic pollution in the gyres has numerous negative impacts. It can harm or kill marine animals through ingestion or entanglement, disturb marine food webs by blocking sunlight from reaching plankton and algae, and accumulate in seafood, making it harmful for human consumption. Additionally, plastics can leach and absorb harmful pollutants, further contaminating the marine environment and the organisms within it.
