Marine Debris Program | Office of Response and Restoration | National Ocean Service

The term ‘garbage patch’ is a misleading nickname 

for areas of the open ocean where man-made litter 

and debris accumulate. Although many believe 

that garbage patches are "islands of trash" that are 

visible from afar, these areas are actually made up 

of small plastic pieces, called microplastics, that are 

easily missed at first glance, or bundles of derelict 

fishing gear. This debris is always moving due to 

winds and currents, causing the garbage patches to 

constantly change size and shape. The items making 

up the garbage patches can be found from the 

surface all the way to the ocean floor.

Garbage patches are created from rotating ocean 

currents called gyres. These currents pull debris 

into a centralized location, forming ‘patches’ 

where marine debris accumulates. Although these 

patches exist around the world, the most wellknown is the ‘Great Pacific Garbage Patch,’ located 

between California and Hawaii in the North Pacific 

Subtropical High.

What are Garbage Patches?

Large accumulations of marine debris can 

threaten wildlife through entanglement, 

ingestion, and ghost fishing, and can be a 

hazard to ocean vessels by clogging engines 

and propellers. More research is needed to fully 

understand the specific impacts of garbage 

patches on both humans and the environment.

What are the impacts of 

garbage patches?

Photo: NOAA
https://marinedebris.noaa.gov/

Cleaning up marine debris found in the open ocean 

is not as simple as it may sound. The NOAA Marine 

Debris Program instead focuses on the prevention 

of marine debris, as well as removal from coastlines 

where debris is more accessible. Cleaning the open 

ocean would be challenging for several reasons:

Things keep moving. The areas where 

debris accumulates move and change 

throughout the year as wind and water 

currents shift. 

They’re really big. These accumulations 

of debris are usually very large and debris 

is unevenly distributed from the surface of 

the water all the way to the ocean floor.

Most of the debris is tiny. The garbage 

patches are composed mainly of 

microplastics, bits of plastic that are five 

millimeters or less in size. Because of their 

small size, microplastics can’t be easily 

removed from the water column.

It would cost a lot. Collecting and 

transporting marine debris from the open 

ocean to shore for disposal could be very 

costly. Resources can go much farther when 

removal is focused along the coast.

Why don’t we just clean 

up the garbage patches?

How YOU can help!

GET INVOLVED

and participate in local cleanups in your 

area.

REMEMBER

that our land and sea are connected.

DISPOSE OF WASTE PROPERLY

no matter where you are.

REDUCE

the amount of waste you produce.

REUSE

items when you can. Choose reusable 

items over disposable ones.

RECYCLE

as much as possible! Bottles, cans, cell 

phones, ink cartridges, and many other 

items can be recycled.

The best way to prevent large accumulations of debris 

from getting larger is to stop debris from entering the 

ocean in the first place. 

@NOAAMarineDebris @NOAAdebris @NOAAdebris https://blog.marinedebris.noaa.gov/