Scientists investigate ocean 'plastic soup'
By Radio Australia's Barbara Heggen
Posted Sun Feb 17, 2008 11:40am AEDT
Scientists have also reported a similar mass in the Southern Ocean near Antarctica [File photo]. (AAP Image)
Scientists from the University of Hawaii are planning to conduct a comprehensive study of a giant floating plastic mass in the North Pacific Ocean.
Reports of the floating rubbish dump first emerged back in 1997 when an American sailor discovered it.
He then established a marine research foundation to raise awareness of the pollution. Now there are a number of scientists who have become alarmed at the situation.
It has become known as the "Pacific plastic soup" and stretches from about 500 nautical miles off the coast of California, right across the north Pacific to near the coast of Japan.
Basically it is a massive concentration of floating plastic debris that results from swirling underwater currents.
The plastic originates from countries around the Pacific Rim, like Australia, the US, China and Mexico.
Because there are vast stretches of the ocean that are never travelled by any vessels, it is thought there are probably more of these plastic soups around the world.
Mass near Antarctica
It is already been reported by Chilean scientists that a similar mass exists in the Southern Ocean near Antarctica.
Anyone who has witnessed the North Pacific mass is shocked at the enormity of the problem.
Professor David Karl, an oceanographer from the University of Hawaii, is planning a comprehensive range of research strategies.
"Certainly we can say that the accumulation rate exceeds the removal rate in the open ocean, because the degradation rates of plastic are so small," he said.
"So this phenomenon is increasing, I think it's fair to say, over time.
"Now whether it's twice the size of the continental United States or whether it's of the size of your hometown, it really doesn't matter.
"There's plastic out there and somebody should be out there studying its impact.
He says a research cruise is planned later this year from Honolulu to Los Angeles in California.
"That is the research crews where we're going to devote some of our valuable research time on that ship to try to look for this plastic heap," he said.
"If we can get accurate coordinates then perhaps we might even be able to see it by planes that are flying over or by Earth orbiting satellites, or by ships of opportunity, such as trade ships.
"It's likely they just go right through this and would not even know it, because they are not out on the deck looking for this stuff.
"But maybe we could put observers on their ships or some kind of a camera system or some kind of a detection system so that we could start to map this feature."
By Radio Australia's Barbara Heggen
Posted Sun Feb 17, 2008 11:40am AEDT
Scientists have also reported a similar mass in the Southern Ocean near Antarctica [File photo]. (AAP Image)
Scientists from the University of Hawaii are planning to conduct a comprehensive study of a giant floating plastic mass in the North Pacific Ocean.
Reports of the floating rubbish dump first emerged back in 1997 when an American sailor discovered it.
He then established a marine research foundation to raise awareness of the pollution. Now there are a number of scientists who have become alarmed at the situation.
It has become known as the "Pacific plastic soup" and stretches from about 500 nautical miles off the coast of California, right across the north Pacific to near the coast of Japan.
Basically it is a massive concentration of floating plastic debris that results from swirling underwater currents.
The plastic originates from countries around the Pacific Rim, like Australia, the US, China and Mexico.
Because there are vast stretches of the ocean that are never travelled by any vessels, it is thought there are probably more of these plastic soups around the world.
Mass near Antarctica
It is already been reported by Chilean scientists that a similar mass exists in the Southern Ocean near Antarctica.
Anyone who has witnessed the North Pacific mass is shocked at the enormity of the problem.
Professor David Karl, an oceanographer from the University of Hawaii, is planning a comprehensive range of research strategies.
"Certainly we can say that the accumulation rate exceeds the removal rate in the open ocean, because the degradation rates of plastic are so small," he said.
"So this phenomenon is increasing, I think it's fair to say, over time.
"Now whether it's twice the size of the continental United States or whether it's of the size of your hometown, it really doesn't matter.
"There's plastic out there and somebody should be out there studying its impact.
He says a research cruise is planned later this year from Honolulu to Los Angeles in California.
"That is the research crews where we're going to devote some of our valuable research time on that ship to try to look for this plastic heap," he said.
"If we can get accurate coordinates then perhaps we might even be able to see it by planes that are flying over or by Earth orbiting satellites, or by ships of opportunity, such as trade ships.
"It's likely they just go right through this and would not even know it, because they are not out on the deck looking for this stuff.
"But maybe we could put observers on their ships or some kind of a camera system or some kind of a detection system so that we could start to map this feature."
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