By Purvi Agarwal
Abstract
The need for efficient trash management and disposal techniques has been demonstrated by the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. The health of people and marine ecosystems are seriously threatened by this buildup of plastic garbage. The Ocean Cleanup Project seeks to address this problem by creating cutting-edge technologies to get rid of current trash and stop more contamination. Despite advancements, problems continue because ocean currents are dynamic and there is no governmental oversight.
Introduction to the growing problem of oceanic waste
Waste disposal is a huge problem globally. For most people, the understanding of garbage and waste disposal is limited to our day-to-day practice of throwing trash in the dustbin, unaware that the elaborate process that follows is just as crucial—if not more—to ensure proper disposal. The simple practice of segregating our waste into categories of recyclable and non-recyclable could reduce the possibility of the garbage harming human and animal life severely. Winding up into the ocean created the great Pacific garbage patch, and it seeps into our soil, therefore into food, marine pollution and air pollution causing fatal health problems. Unawareness and poor attention to the quintessential process of waste disposal in modern times have led to large accumulations
of waste and garbage in the oceans, forests, natural reserves, living spaces and overflowing landfills. Drawing more attention to marine life, garbage dumping has led to the disruption of its ecosystem by altering the natural habitat of marine organisms, affecting the food chain, and introducing toxic substances into marine environments; a prime example of this is the Great Pacific Garbage Patch.
Understanding the Great Pacific Garbage Patch and highlighting the urgent need for addressal
The Great Pacific Garbage Patch (GPGP) (Figure 1.1) spans the North Pacific Ocean, located between Hawaii and California in North America and Japan. It is estimated to contain 100,000 metric tons of plastic waste, posing a severe threat to marine life, as many animals either ingest or become entangled in plastics. These plastics, particularly microplastics (MPs)—tiny particles resulting from the breakdown of larger plastic pieces—enter the food chain, eventually affecting human health.
There exist many misconceptions about this patch, starting from the misleading name implying that it is an island, whereas the debris stretches vastly all the way from the ocean floor to the surface. More elaborately, plastic pollution at sea, while densely distributed within the patch, is scattered and does not form a solid mass (Figure 1.2). Another important piece of information is that, while the most popular, the GPGP is not the only such area of marine debris. The world’s oceans are characterised by the presence of five major subtropical gyres: one located in the Indian Ocean, two in the Atlantic Ocean, and two in the Pacific Ocean. Each of these gyres serves as a convergence zone for marine debris, resulting in the formation of garbage patches of varying magnitudes within their respective circulatory systems.
Modalled mass concentration: per kg Km2
Image source: The Oceans Clean Up.
The GPGP’s geographical dimension clearly implies that the 50 ‘Gyre’- which is the largest ecosystem on Earth, located between the equator and 50° N latitude, – is not governed by a single state government or jurisdiction. Additionally, this corridor from the west to the east is a convergence zone where warm water pushes the debris from the south Pacific to the cool water of the Arctic. The back and forth of the currents and sea winds make it further difficult to assess and permanently declare the size of the patch. Although the popular discourse is that it is twice the size of Texas, there have been criticisms of exaggerated claims. Especially the argument that the patch has been growing tenfold each decade since the 1950s is misleading. It is apparent that there’s a lot of plastic in the oceans, and that’s a big problem. But if people exaggerate it, it makes scientists seem less trustworthy.
This huge mass of garbage or trash vortex is a vast, diffuse area where plastic and other debris accumulate due to ocean currents; this ranges from ghost nets, plastic items, to tiny microplastics. Allegedly, it has been found that synthetic fishing nets accounted for almost 50% of the mass of the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, primarily due to ocean currents and increased fishing activity. Additionally, according to a study in March 2023, 60% of fish globally contained microplastics and that carnivore fish have a higher possibility of containing microplastics than omnivores.
The Ocean’s Clean-Up Project: Action and Potential So Far
Founded in 2013 by Boyan Slat in Delft, Netherlands, the Ocean Clean Up is a non-profit organisation focused on removing plastic from the oceans and rivers with a mission to develop and scale technologies to eliminate plastic pollution, aiming for a 90% reduction of floating ocean plastic by 2040. It comprises 120 engineers, researchers, and scientists working on technologies to reduce plastics in the oceans by removing the pre-existing garbage as well as preventing more from flowing into the main rivers.
Most important of these are the interceptors, which are tools designed to capture plastic in rivers, targeting the most polluted waterways. The Oceans Clean Up has created a comprehensive compilation of data and conducted thorough original research through field-testing and partnerships, notably one with Deloitte to quantify the economic costs associated with marine plastic pollution. They engage in analysing the results of cleanup efforts to measure the reduction of plastic in targeted areas and assess environmental and economic impacts, but also share findings with the public and stakeholders through newsletters, social media, and community events to raise awareness and foster involvement in cleanup efforts. As of June 2022, the upgraded System 002 has effectively covered an area exceeding 2,700 km², which is roughly equivalent to nearly half a million football fields, and has successfully removed over 84,000 kilograms of plastic from the Great Pacific Garbage Patch (GPGP).
Ending remarks: What lies ahead?
Despite the tremendous work done by the Ocean’s Clean Up, there are still challenges in battling this huge mass of litter. The ocean waves constantly shift around the debris and break down the plastic into microplastics, causing it to be difficult to view through the naked eyes of the scientists or capture imagery from satellites. This makes it more difficult to examine the issue at hand and explore possible solutions. Additionally, as the name suggests and as established earlier, the GPGP is not technically an island. It is an enormous bulk of debris constantly moving around and being fed by an increasing amount of garbage through the currents and is very much entrenched on the ocean floor.
Oceanographers and ecologists recently discovered that about 70 percent of marine debris actually sinks to the bottom of the ocean. This is an impending problem at hand considering the size and importance of the Pacific, especially with regards to marine life. Additionally, due to the lack of a single accountable government, there is no sign of state interference in the matter. The documented discoverer of this particular area, Charles Moore, fears that cleaning up the garbage patch would “bankrupt any country” that tried it.
As consumers of information, we face a significant challenge when confronted with conflicting findings from sources that appear to possess equivalent credibility. The alarming issue of plastic pollution in our oceans is particularly concerning, leading to uncertainty about which scientific perspectives to trust. This dilemma of inconsistent and contradictory information is prevalent across various environmental issues.
About the Author
Purvi Agarwal is pursuing a B.A. (HONS) in Diplomacy and Foreign Policy at Jindal School of International Affairs. She currently serves as a columnist for the Centre for New Economic Studies, Nickeled and Dimed, and as a centre coordinator at the Centre for European Studies. With experience at organizations like ABP Network, NDTV, and the Europe India Centre for Business and Industry, Purvi has developed a keen interest in multilateralism, Indian foreign policy, and financial literacy. She is proficient in Hindi and English and also holds
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