Giant patch of plastic rubbish discovered in the Atlantic

A 22-year study, which consisted of more than 6100 sweeps of the North Atlantic by using fine mesh nets, has revealed the existence of a giant patch of plastic rubbish just north of the Caribbean. This dump consists of materials such as bottle tops, toothbrushes and other such items of daily use. According to scientists, the size of this dump is comparable to the ‘great Pacific garbage patch’ that lies between Hawaii and California. These plastic patches are formed due to gyres. Gyres are areas with few ocean currents surrounded by areas with strong ocean currents. This creates a spinning vortex from which the plastic cannot get out once it floats in.

When plastic is in the sea, it degrades into smaller pieces until it is consumed by the marine life at the surface and thus introduced into the food chain harming other forms of life such as sea birds. Though the direct effects of this problem don’t seem to be grave, neglecting this problem will disturb the food chain and consequently the ecological balance.

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