Plastic pollution in oceans and also lakes

What is a garbage patch?

All the garbage produced will eventually end up in the oceans and major water bodies. Then, currents will turn it into micro particles and accumulate them into certain areas creating the so called garbage patch.

Plastic pollution poses a big threat to marine ecosystem because it looks like food to fish, birds and other creatures. Some animal eat the plastic, while other get stucked. This garbage is undigestible, and once swallowed it fills the animals stomach creating a fatal blockage.

Image 1. Debris extracted from water bodies

Source: National geographic

Even a small plastic is deadly. For instance, a small 3 inches plastic was enough fo kill a 16 ft adult shark near Okinawa - japan (Image 2)

Image 2. A note about a whale shark killed by a 3 inches plastic (Taken at Okinawa Aquarium)

Garbage patch in lakes

In a previous post we introduced those so called garbage patch and showed that they are present in all the oceans. Unfortunately, such garbage patches are not exclusively in the oceans. garbage patches are also present in other major water bodies.

Some time ago, scientists found garbage patch in the great lakes. Moreover, they found that the concentration of poly aromatic hydrocarbons is twice the concentration found at the oceans. Other particularity of such lakes garbage patch is the predominance of micro plastic particles smaller than 1 millimeter.

Considering that current brings together all floatable materials, e.g. plastic and other thrash, understanding the circulation patterns of water bodies may help the study of such patches.Thus, in an effort to understand the spread of plastic debris and garbage patches, researchers are working on exploratory projects for detecting plastic debris and accumulation areas. For instance, water circulation patterns developed by NOAA (image 3) may easily allow to detect potential debris areas.

Image 3. Water current patterns of the great lakes

Source: NOAA

The problem (garbage patch in water bodies) is real. Garbage patches were found in all the oceans and some lakes. It is very likely that garbage patches are (o will be) present in other water bodies. we must be conscious of plastics that we use and dispose of. Try using reusable water bottles and shopping bags. Try using products with less packaging and avoid single use plastics. The more we reduce plastics consumption, the cleaner we can keep our oceans.

References and Further Reading
Great lakes garbage patch presents major threat to region's marine life, scientists say
New concerns about plastic pollution in great lakes garbage patch
Garbage patch in the oceans
Mean circulation in the great lakes