Record Amount of Plastic Recovered from the Great Pacific Garbage Patch

An American non-profit organization completed its 48-day expedition and was able to collect a record 130 tons of fishing nets and toxic plastic debris from the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, completing the “largest open ocean clean-up in history”.

“I am so proud of our hard working crew,” says Mary Crowley, founder and executive director of Ocean Voyages Institute, the small non-profit specialized in ocean clean-ups. “We exceeded our goal of capturing 100 tons of toxic consumer plastics and derelict ‘ghost’ nets, and in these challenging times, we are continuing to help restore the health of our ocean, which influences our own health and the health of the planet.”

The Great Pacific Garbage Patch, located halfway between Hawaii and California, is one of the most remote regions of the Pacific Ocean, covers 600,000 square miles, and is believed to contain 80,000 tons of plastic trash. Ocean Voyages Institute used GPS satellite trackers, drones, and mast lookouts to track the rubbish to be collected. The plastic recovered were put in industrial bags to be recycled and repurposed once on land. For its next year’s expedition, the non-profit hopes to use three vessels. “There is no doubt in my mind that our work is making the oceans healthier for the planet and safer for marine wildlife, as these nets will never again entangle or harm a whale, dolphin, turtle or reefs,” adds Crowley.