Microplastics

Tiny pieces of plastic that are so small you can’t see them easily. They come from broken-down plastic bottles, bags, or even clothes, and can be eaten by fish and other animals, making them sick.

• NOAA article about impact of Microplastics
• NSF article about the shape affecting the path of microplastics
• National Geographic article about the life cycle of microplastics

Ghost Fishing Nets

Old or lost fishing nets that float in the ocean and keep catching fish, turtles, and other animals even though no one is using them. They can hurt or trap animals for a long time.

• World Wildlife article about abandoned nets
• World Economic Forum article on how ghost nets continue to fish 

Ocean Rafting

When plants or animals travel to new places by riding on floating plastic in the water. This can bring them to areas where they don’t normally live and cause problems for local animals and plants.

• Guardian article on plastic rafting transporting invasive species
• Nature article about neopelagic rafting

River Pollution

Trash, especially plastic, that goes into rivers. Rivers carry this trash into oceans, spreading pollution far from where it started.

• NREL article on river pollution pathways
• Great Bubble Barrier article about riverine plastic

Great Garbage Patch

Huge areas in the middle of oceans filled with floating plastic trash. They are dangerous for sea animals and damage the ocean environment.

• National Geographic profile of the Great Pacific Garbage Patch
• GIS Storymap of the five great garbage patches

Coastal Contamination

Trash that washes up on beaches. It can hurt animals, make beaches unsafe, and pollute the land near the coast.

• Mongabay article about FrankenRocks
• Guardian article about Hawaii's Plastic Beach
• IVO article on why beach cleanups are important