Ocean Pollution - 2021

Visualizing the Distribution of Ocean Plastic and Cleanup Zones


Background

  • Five major ocean gyres concentrate plastics: North Atlantic, South Atlantic, North Pacific, South Pacific, and Indian Ocean
  • Asian countries account for ~ 80% of ocean plastic inputs
  • Microplastics found in the deepest ocean trenches and the most remote Arctic ice
  • 11 million metric tons of plastic enter the oceans annually, with projections suggesting number could triple by 2040 if no action is taken.

How is Plastic Affecting Marine Life?

Here we can see a map found from ARCGIS online available data. It shows entanglement events around the world.

Credit: Harman G

Entanglement: Over 700 species have been reported to encounter marine debris. 92% of encounters involving plastic Ingestion: An estimated 52% of sea turtles worldwide have ingested plastic debris Microplastic Contamination: Studies have found microplastics in 100% of marine turtles, 59% of whales, 36% of seals, and 40% of seabird species examine

Our Data

  • All of our data was obtained through the GIS Ocean platform; the interface provides ready to use data, maps, and layers in order to better visualize and understand plastic debris distribution throughout our oceans
  • The data from the Marine Debris/Cleanup program was all obtained from the National Ocean and Atmospheric Association (NOAA)
  • We found a range of data including distribution patterns by country, citizen science sites for study, and landfill sights.

We decided to narrow down our research by using data for cleanup sites in comparison to plastic distribution.

How does Plastic Mismanagement by Country correlate with Marine Cleanup Events?

-Which countries are seeing results in their cleaning efforts? Which ones are not?


Plastics by Country: 2021

Inadequately managed plastic (rounded to 1 decimal):

  • China - 23.5 million kg/day 
  • Indonesia - 8.6 million 
  • Egypt - 2.5 million 
  • Vietnam - 4.9 million 
  • Philippines- 5.0 million 
  • Nigeria - 2.2 million 
  • Malaysia - 2.4 million 
  • Sri Lanka - 4.2 million (consider the country size too!)

Doing well: kg/day

  • Cambodia - 79,000
  • Taiwan- 13,000 
  • USA - 0.0
  • Australia- 0.0
  • Western Europe- 0.0 
  • Japan - 0.0 

Plastics by Country + Cleanup Events (2015-2018)

As you can see, there are several cleanup events in the following countries:

  • The United States
  • Philippenes
  • Greece
  • United Kingdom
  • Australia

Plastics by Country + Cleanup Events (2015-2018)

Here are some patterns that we discovered:

Positive Findings:

  • The United States has a significant amount of cleanup events in comparison to surrounding countries.
  • Additionally, Western Europe made substantial efforts to clean up their coasts in these years, you can see the density in cleanup events during this 3 year span.
  • The Philippines can also be seen to making efforts for marine cleanup events.

Countries lacking based on plastic mismanagement: 

  • Indonesia 
  • We found that the majority of Africa was lacking, with an exception in South Africa
  • South American green countries do have more cleanups, which shows that their initiatives are effective. The surrounding red countries are lacking in plastic management and cleanup events alike.

Change in Plastic Distribution after Cleanup (2010-2025)

This is what we found:

  • India - 380% more mismanaged plastic over 2010-2025 period 
  • About 200% more mismanaged plastic on the African coast (was all green before)
  • Mozambique- 524% more mismanaged plastic 
  • Madagascar - 414% more mismanaged plastic 
  • US and Western Europe show improvement
  • New Zealand shows improvement
  • Japan shows improvement

Change in Plastic Distribution after Cleanup (2010-2025)

Between 2010 and 2025, the distribution of plastic in the ocean has shifted significantly due to advancements in cleanup technologies and prevention strategies. However, the results vary across regions and types of debris.

Reduction in River Inputs: Efforts to target riverine plastic—responsible for a large percentage of ocean pollution—have made measurable impacts. Initiatives like The Ocean Cleanup's Interceptors have reduced the outflow of plastic from major rivers, for example in Asia and Africa, where many high-contributing rivers are located. GIS analysis of river systems shows a decline in plastic hotspots at river mouths. This is indicative of the success of these localized interventions.

Shifts in Open Ocean Distribution: Ocean currents and gyres, such as the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, have historically concentrated large amounts of plastic. Cleanup systems deployed in these areas since 2018 have removed significant quantities of debris. GIS-based monitoring reveals a gradual decline in surface plastic density in these zones, though microplastic levels remain a persistent challenge.

Percent Change and Cleanup (2010-2025)

Overall, we found that countries with more cleanups are doing better over time with mismanaged plastic.

These countries include:

  • South Africa  
  • Japan
  • Western Europe
  • USA
  • Australia 
  • Sri Lanka 

We also noted countries with several cleanup events, but with no improvement/decline

  • India
  • Philippines 

What does this mean?

  • These results cannot be attributed to being in the global north
  • Cleanups can make a difference!
  • In the countries with many events + decline, we can assume that:
    • Cleanups are inadequate 
    • What they're cleaning is going back into water
    • They aren’t removing enough in comparison in inflow 
    • May be lacking in regulation on plastics 

Percent Change and Cleanup (2010-2025)

Improved Coastal Conditions: Many coastal regions have seen notable improvements due to combined efforts of local cleanups and waste management reforms. GIS mapping of coastal debris patterns demonstrates a downward trend in plastic accumulation along well-monitored coastlines, especially in areas with robust public participation in cleanups and better waste disposal infrastructure.

Challenges and Emerging Trends: Despite progress, some regions have seen an increase in plastic accumulation due to inadequate waste management and increasing production of single-use plastics. GIS data highlights new hotspots in less-monitored areas, calling for expanded efforts in those regions.

Overall, the period from 2010 to 2025 showcases how cleanup and prevention efforts, guided by GIS technology, have redistributed and reduced certain types of marine plastic pollution. However, commitment and global cooperation are needed to achieve long-term success.

What can be done?

 Prevention through Policy and Innovation: Governments and organizations are implementing policies such as bans on single-use plastics and extended producer responsibility programs. Innovative technologies, like biodegradable alternatives and improved recycling methods, aim to reduce plastic waste at the source. Public education campaigns also play a key role in changing consumer behavior.

Ocean Cleanup Initiatives: Projects like The Ocean Cleanup focus on removing existing plastic from oceans and rivers. These efforts use advanced GIS technology to map the density and movement of plastic waste, allowing for strategic deployment of cleanup systems. On smaller scales, local beach cleanups and community-driven programs are vital in mitigating shoreline pollution.

GIS for Monitoring and Management: GIS plays a crucial role in identifying hotspots of marine plastic pollution. Satellite imagery and spatial data enable researchers to track the spread of debris, model ocean currents, and assess the effectiveness of cleanup efforts. This data helps prioritize resources and optimize strategies for both prevention and removal.

Regulations on Responsible Handling of Plastics (2010-2019)

All information found from ARCGIS online available data.

As you can see, some of the countries with a lot of plastic regulation include:

  • United States
  • The United Kingdom
  • Australia

Here are the countries where the regulations are working (having regulations and doing better over 2010-2025): 

  • US
  • Japan
  • Australia

Here are were the regulations are not working (measured by heavy regulations + doing worse over 2010-2025):

  • India - worse over time 
  • Tanzania - heavy regulations, but doing worse over time 
  • Kenya - worse over time 
  • Indonesia - worse over time
  • Philippines - worse over time 

Future research

Advancing GIS and Remote Sensing Technologies: Future research can focus on developing more precise GIS models and remote sensing techniques to monitor plastic pollution. Enhanced satellite imagery or even AI-driven analytics could improve the detection of microplastics, track their movement, and predict future accumulation patterns.

Impact of Microplastics on Marine and Human Health: While macroplastics are visible and often targeted for removal, microplastics are a more complex threat. Research is needed to study their long-term impacts on marine ecosystems, food chains, and human health. GIS could even be used to map microplastic distribution.

Global Collaboration and Policy Analysis: Future studies could explore the effectiveness of international agreements, such as the Global Plastics Treaty, in reducing ocean pollution. Using GIS to analyze the spatial distribution of pollution before and after policy implementation could be an important research initiative.

Ocean Current Modeling and Cleanup Optimization: Understanding how ocean currents transport plastic debris is essential for planning future cleanup efforts. Research combining GIS with hydrodynamic models could lead to more efficiency of cleanup events in high-impact areas