The Great Pacific Garbage Patch is a large part of the North Pacific where ocean currents gather floating debris. Much of that debris is plastic, and a lot of it has broken into microplastics. A gyre can hold debris in the same broad area for a long time. Some plastic starts on land and reaches the ocean through rivers, storm drains, ports, and poor waste handling. Some comes from ocean activity, including ghost gear. Governments are also debating a global plastics treaty, which could set shared rules on plastic products, waste handling, reuse, recycling, and possibly production limits. The main policy question is how to balance cleaning up plastic already in the ocean with preventing new plastic from reaching it. Ocean cleanup can remove visible debris, but prevention may stop more plastic from entering the water in the first place. Different choices put the burden on governments, fishing fleets, product makers, consumers, or international treaty rules.
What should governments and industry prioritize to reduce plastic buildup in the Great Pacific Garbage Patch?