2008 North Pacific Gyre Expedition
Where does it end up?
86%
43% Animal impacts (Laist,1997)
44%
PLASTIC
PLANKTON Plastic Ingestion
Stomach contents
Results Total # of fish= 671
6 Species:
Number
% with ingested plastic
Astronesthes indopacifica
6
16
Cololabis saira
51
16
Hygophum reinhardii
43
23
Loweina interrupa
26
8
Myctophum aurolanternatum
460
37
74
56
Symbolophorus californiensis
In total 35% of these fish had ingested plastic
Junk Made From Junk
Plastic Particles Attract Chemicals In The Ocean
NORTH PACIFIC
INDIAN OCEAN
Chemical legacy
SOUTH PACIFIC
NORTH ATLANTIC
SOUTH ATLANTIC
North Pacific Gyre
N. Atlantic Gyre NORTH ATLANTIC
NORTH PACIFIC Indian Ocean Gyre
South Pacific Gyre
INDIAN OCEAN
S. Atlantic Gyre
SOUTH PACIFIC
SOUTH ATLANTIC
Plastic Pollution Accumulation Zones (Lebreton et al., Mar. Pol. Bul., 2012)
North Atlantic Expedition
North Atlantic Gyre
NORTH ATLANTIC GYRE
14,817,185km2
Indian Ocean Gyre
VPRO “Beagle” aboard the Stad Amsterdam
Indian Ocean Gyre
South Atlantic Gyre
South Atlantic Gyre
South Pacific Gyre – The Crew
SOUTH PACIFIC GARBAGE PATCH
Easter Island – Before and after rock removal along coastline.
WHAT’S NEXT?
WHAT’S NEXT?
Observed Debris
Other (boat, tire, baloon) 1% Glass 1%
Buoys/ Misc. line Misc. nets floats 2% 2% 3% Other fishing gear 0%
Other plastic 14%
Buoys/floats Misc. line Misc. nets Other fishing gear Plastic frag. Bags/sheet/tarp Bottles
Styrofoam 20%
Plastic frag. 43%
Jugs/buckets Styrofoam Other plastic Glass
Jugs/ buckets 4% Plastic bottles 7% Bags/sheet/tarp 3%
820 observed pieces – 98% were plastic
Other(boat, tire, baloon)
HOTSPOT
HOTSPOT
NORTH PACIFIC
INDIAN OCEAN
SOUTH PACIFIC
GARBAGE PATCHES AND HOTSPOTS
HOTSPOT
NORTH ATLANTIC
SOUTH ATLANTIC
SOLUTIONS
RESPONSIBILITY
INNOVATION BIOPLASTIC REUSABLES WASTE TO ENERGY CRADLE TO CRADLE DESIGN
SMARTER APPROACH
LEGISLATION LEGISLATION Product Bans or fees Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) Safer Chemicals/Green Chemistry
LAWS TO CHANGE “THROW AWAY” CULTURE
EDUCATION
SOCIAL MEDIA/CAMPAIGNS
GLOBAL MONITORING THROUGH CITIZEN SCIENCE IF YOU HAVE A BOAT – LET’S TRAWL TOGETHER!
JOIN AN EXPEDITION
GET INVOLVED!
Bay of Bengal
Bay of Bengal, 2013
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