The World’s Rubbish Dump: A Garbage Tip That Stretches From Hawaii to Japan

Humans discard massive quantities of plastic each day, and much ends up in the oceans. The non-biodegradable plastics remain intact, even after 50 years, and contribute to the ”Great Pacific Garbage Patch,” hundreds of miles of plastic floating in the Pacific. The fouled water, containing 100 million tons of debris, kills wildlife that ingests the plastic and destroys once-pristine beaches. The plastic hydrocarbon-based pesticides enter the food chain and can also endanger humans. If continued, the reckless disregard could culminate in an ecological disaster on a global scale. A policy that punishes manufacturers for irresponsible acts and penalizes consumers for not recycling could prove effective. – YaleGlobal