Chasing Plastics: How to Close the Ocean Plastic Mass Balance

 

In the research of ocean plastic, there is an observed imbalance in the amount of plastic going into the ocean and the amount of plastic that we are finding afloat at the surface. It is estimated that every year several millions of tons of plastic waste enter the oceans. Some plastic sinks to the seabed or washes onto shore, and other, buoyant, plastics make their way to the ocean gyres. Once there, they accumulate, persist and eventually break down into micro- and nano-plastics. Although, how much plastic is staying at the surface and how much is below? How deep does plastic go into the water column? How much plastic is lost from the ocean surface during transport to the ocean gyres?

More on the Ocean Cleanup at:   https://www.theoceancleanup.com/updates/chasing-plastics-how-to-close-the-ocean-plastic-mass-balance/