Our oceans are in a sorry state, and they just can't seem to catch a break. Floating pieces of plastic, some of them large, others just specks or chunks the size of an eraser, have been accumulating in ocean currents referred to as gyres for many years. Because plastic takes so long to photodegrade, it stays in the environment for long periods of time. The plastic is often eaten by birds or fed to chicks at breeding grounds, and the results are devastating.
The problem of floating plastic garbage first became known in the Pacific Ocean, and the "Pacific garbage patch" has gained notoriety in recent years. Unfortunately, researchers have now discovered an "Atlantic garbage patch."