A study in Environmental Research Letters highlights the rapid growth of centimeter-sized plastic debris in the North Pacific Garbage Patch (NPGP), escalating threats to marine ecosystems and the global carbon cycle.

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• Centimeter-sized plastic fragments in NPGP increased from 2.9kg/km² (2015) to 14.2kg/km² (2022).
• Small debris hotspots grew from 1 million/km² in 2015 to over 10 million/km² in 2022.
• Study by The Ocean Cleanup analyzed data from 50 expeditions between 2015-2022.
• Over 74% of debris originates from foreign sources, reflecting poor global waste management.
• Floating plastic now outweighs living organisms in the region, endangering marine life.
• Microplastics disrupt zooplankton grazing, potentially impacting the global carbon cycle.
• Floating debris hosts new species, creating competition with endemic marine life.
• Researchers stress urgent global action to reduce plastic production and clean up oceans.
• Study highlights the lasting ecological impacts of unchecked plastic pollution.
• Calls for coordinated international policy to mitigate the crisis.