The Great Pacific Garbage Patch, or Pacific Trash Vortex, is a gyre of marine litter in the central North Pacific Ocean. The Patch is characterised by an exceptionally high concentration of pelagic plastics, chemical sludge, and other debris trapped by the currents of the North Pacific Gyre. Whilst much of of the Patch is made up of invisible particulates, there are significant amounts of visible matter which wash up on the shores surrounding the North Pacific Ocean and the examples illustrated below are typical of the finds made by the US Ocean Conservancy.
