UBC Microplastics Seminar Series

Fate of Floating Plastic Debris in the Ocean

Dr. Matthias Egger

Lead Ocean Field Scientist
The Ocean Cleanup
https://theoceancleanup.com/ 

Friday, October 1, 2021
12-1 pm PST

Abstract: Plastic waste accumulating in the global ocean is an increasingly threatening environmental issue. A large mass of plastics is currently floating and accumulating in subtropical oceanic gyres. These so-called ocean garbage patches became a symbol of the impact of the wide scale use of plastics and its discarding in the global ocean. However, it is well recognized that the mass of plastics piled up at the surface of the subtropical gyres represents only a small fraction of the global plastic emissions into the marine environment. A major fraction of positively buoyant plastic debris is therefore currently unaccounted for, suggesting that there are unrecognized pathways that lead to loss of plastic from the ocean surface. In this presentation, I will summarize the current state of knowledge concerning the sources, transport, and fate of positively buoyant plastic debris in the ocean, ranging from micro- to macroplastics. Such information is of paramount importance to assess the long-term risks of ocean plastic pollution for marine ecosystems and to advance optimized mitigation strategies. Lastly, I will also discuss The Ocean Cleanup’s approach to ridding the world’s oceans of plastic.

Watch the recorded event here.