Hidden Depths: The Real Impact Below the Surface of the Great Pacific Garbage Patch (Episode 3)

We’re back with another fun and entertaining episode in our series on the Great Pacific Garbage Patch! In today’s video, we’re uncovering the hidden impacts of the plastic pollution crisis below the surface - how is marine life affected by the Great Pacific Garbage Patch explained?
As we’ve covered, the Great Pacific Garbage Patch contains over 1.8 trillion pieces of plastic debris accumulated through ocean currents. But what we can’t always see is the toll this plastic pollution takes on marine ecosystems. When plastic debris breaks down in the ocean, it releases chemicals and harms water quality. Marine animals also commonly get entangled in plastic waste or mistake it for food.
Seabirds are especially impacted through ingesting plastic when they confuse it for prey like fish. Autopsies have found bottle caps, cigarette lighters, and various plastic pieces inside the stomachs of dead seabirds. When marine life like fish, sea turtles, and whales ingest plastic, it can obstruct their digestive tracts and lodge in their intestines. This often leads to death from malnutrition, starvation, and associated complications.
Even on the microbial level, plastic waste releases toxins as it breaks down and accumulates through the marine food web. The long-term impacts of plastic pollution on ocean health are still being uncovered. Make sure to stick around as we explore shocking statistics on how many marine animals die each year from plastic ingestion and entanglement.
The takeaway is that the Great Pacific Garbage Patch has detrimental effects from the surface through the water column, harming marine life along the way. But it’s not too late to course correct! Through education and changes in single-use plastic consumption, we can reduce the plastic island swirling in the ocean.
Interested in joining us in taking action against the hidden harms of the Great Pacific Garbage Patch? Make sure to like, share and subscribe. Let us know your thoughts in the comments below. And stay tuned for our next episode where we’ll outline solutions for combatting the plastic vortex! Thanks for watching today’s deep dive on the impacts under the surface of the Great Pacific Garbage Patch.