Area of Great Pacific Garbage Patch 16 times larger than previously estimated

The Great Pacific Garbage Patch is significantly larger than previously estimated, with researchers using 30 vessels and a C-130 Hercules aircraft to catalog over a million pieces of plastic, mostly microplastics. The patch contains more than 79,000 tons of plastic, equivalent to 500 jumbo jets, spread over an area three times the size of France in the North Pacific Ocean. The waste includes plastic bottles, containers, packaging straps, lids, ropes, and fishing nets, which have accumulated over decades.

How much larger is the Great Pacific Garbage Patch compared to previous estimates?

• 4 times larger

• 8 times larger

• 16 times larger

• 20 times larger

What equipment did researchers use to collect data on the Great Pacific Garbage Patch?

• 20 vessels and a helicopter

• 40 vessels and a submarine

• 10 vessels and a drone

• 30 vessels and a C-130 Hercules aircraft

What is the primary type of plastic found in the Great Pacific Garbage Patch?

• Bioplastics

• Microplastics

• Nanoplastics

• Macroplastics

How many tons of plastic are estimated to be in the Great Pacific Garbage Patch?

• 150,000 tons

• 100,000 tons

• 79,000 tons

• 50,000 tons

The area of the Great Pacific Garbage Patch is approximately how many times the size of France?

• Five times

• Four times

• Twice

• Three times