Trash Talk: Great Pacific Garbage Patch

2 minutes 8 seconds

Now Playing As: Captioned (English) (change)

The Great Pacific Garbage Patch is a large area of marine debris, which forms by rotating ocean currents. These currents, also known as gyres, act like whirlpools and collect floating pieces of microplastics. Part of the "Trash Talk" series.

Media Details

Runtime: 2 minutes 8 seconds

Topic: Science
Subtopic: Conservation, Environmental Issues, Marine Life
Grade/Interest Level: 7 - 12
Standards:

Release Year: 2015
Producer/Distributor: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Series: Trash Talk

Very close up view of microplastics. Caption: Microplastics that as less than five millimeters long--

Artwork of a bird and fish. Caption: animals often mistake plastic debris for food and eat it.

Artwork of plastic water bottle, trash bags, straws, and plastic bag. Caption: We find plastic everywhere,

Five people picking up trash. Caption: and participate in shoreline cleanups.

A net floating in water tangled in plastic. Caption: We call that derelict fishing gear,

An illustration of a trash bin with its side on the road on a rainy day. Caption: rainwater can move the trash into storm drains.