Cleaning+up+the+Ocean

__**The Great Pacific Garbage Patch **__ 
 * it is estimated that next year the world will pump out about 300 million tons of plastic, out of the 300 million 25 million tons of plastic will be unaccounted for and the majority of these plastics wind up in the ocean, and almost all of the plastic that has been deposited in the ocean over the years is still there today, and there is no where for it to go. (Doucette, 2009).
 * the great pacific garbage patch is the area of the pacific ocean that has become filled with garbage from around the world
 * Its exact size is unknown but it is estimated to be twice the size of texas and contains approximately 10 million tons of waste (Doucette, 2009).
 * the garbage patch contains microplastics which are "larger chucks of waste that have been reduced to tiny bits of polymer by the combined effects of waves, wind and sun
 * these microplastics pose a huge threat to wildlife in the area, and is more likely to be ingested by birds and fish
 * microplastics contain harmful chemicals including DDT and PBC's which are toxic chemicals and deadly to the wildlife that ingest them
 * when the mamals and fish ingest these microplastics they ingest these dangerous chemical toxins, which lodge themselves in the animals fatty tissues. These chemicals then affect the marine mamals reproductive organs, and in humans have been linked to health issues such as liver problems, skin lesions and even cancer.
 * Albatross birds are affected the most by these plastics
 * "forty percent of albatross chicks on midway atoll die from being fed bits of plastic waste that floats ashore" (Doucette, 2009).
 * **A possible solution **
 * scientist have been studying the problem and have come up with a solution to dispose of the plastics
 * plastics are originally made from crude. When crude is broken down you get liquid hydrocarbon, which can then be distilled into rough gasoline sustainable for powering machinery, motorcycles and heating systems. (Doucette, 2009).

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