Plastic Generation and Recovery Graph 1960-1995

A great percentage of all plastic generated from the time its production began to the present day, is floating and mixed with the waters of the oceans. The Algalita Marine Research Foundation (AMRF) has found 6 times more plastic in the middle of the Pacific Ocean than zooplankton—the food of sea animals, who cannot distinguish between the plastic and zooplankton because it is the same size and shape. Much of that sea trash has not even been made into a product yet. It is still in the primary form of pellets—known as nurdles. It may have been on its way to the toy or computer manufacturer. Or it may have been washed down a storm sewer near the factory that made the nurdles. The Algalita Marine Research Foundation recently (2002) received a half-million dollar grant from the State of California to find its source.

• More about AMRF's work

graph source: Algalita Marine Research Foundation