The Great Pacific Garbage Patch is a massive accumulation of plastic waste drifting in the North Pacific. In scale, it covers an area roughly twice the size of the state of Texas.
How scientists found a potential change in the water's color
This accumulation of waste is carried by ocean currents and concentrated within a giant circular current system known as a gyre. According to specialists in oceanographic optics at the University of Bergen, the microplastic concentration in the patch may reach a level capable of changing the color of the drifting water.
The specialists, including Shea Cheatham, Daniel Kostner and Børge Hamre, noted that initially it was difficult for them to detect this accumulation in satellite images from near-Earth orbit because of how dispersed it is. However, the analysis showed alarming changes.
Key facts about the garbage patch
The garbage patch lies within the gyre, a giant current system that acts as a catchment basin for plastic waste.
