More plastic than estimated found in Great Pacific Garbage Patch

A three year mapping effort conducted by an international team of scientists reveals that 1.8 trillion pieces of plastic weighing 80,000 metric tons are currently afloat in an area known as the Great Pacific Garbage Patch (GPGP) - and it is rapidly getting worse. These figures are 4 to 16 times higher than previous estimates. 92% of the mass is represented by larger objects; while only 8% of the mass is contained in microplastics.
The team found that plastic pollution levels within the GPGP have been growing exponentially since measurements began in the 1970s. An article about the research is published in Scientific Reports (Press Release The Ocean Cleanup Foundation, 22 March 2018).
Click here for the press release.
Click here for the published article (2.56 MB).
Click here for more information about the NVC Project PUMA: the end of packaging as an environmental issue. You are welcome to join us for the next project meeting on 27 March 2019.

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