◎蔡子岳
A large floating patch of garbage was seen floating in the Pacific Ocean during a new aerial survey. This floating pile of debris was located between Hawaii and California where scientists call the "Great Pacific Garbage Patch" consisting of plastic waste and microplastics that are also being consumed by marine animals.
一項新的空中調查可見一塊巨大垃圾塊漂浮於太平洋上。這片位於被科學家稱為「太平洋垃圾帶」的夏威夷與加州之間的漂浮垃圾，是由塑料廢棄物和微狀塑膠粒等所組成，並被海洋動物攝食。
Apparently, this floating garbage is so vast that it can already be seen from outer space. The garbage patch is estimated to be between one million square kilometers to 3.4 million square kilometers, as currents swish around the waste patch to varying dimensions.
顯然，這片漂浮垃圾塊已經大到從外太空都可以辨識。這片垃圾帶的面積估計在100萬到340萬平方公里之間，取決於環繞它快速流動的洋流。
Image via Remarkably.
According to Boyan Slat of Ocean Cleanup, there was so many debris that it is virtually impossible to record everything. He adds, this debris is not just small plastics, it also contains large materials. This is a big concern as this big plastic debris can disintegrate into microplastics in the next few decades.
「海洋清理」發起人史萊特指出，廢棄物太多，不可能一一記錄。此外，廢棄物也不只是小型塑料，也包括大型物質。大型塑膠垃圾未來數十年內是否會分解為微型塑料，是個重大隱憂。
Photograph: The Ocean Cleanup
Slat explains that ocean pollution is not just solved by extensive cleanup but we also need to prevent waste from entering the oceans. This means that better waste management regarding recycling, better product design, and legislation from nations, which are all crucial for this to work.
史萊特說明，海洋污染的解決除了大規模的清理行動外，還必須防止廢棄物進入海洋。這意味著必須改善廢棄物的處理，包括回收、改善產品設計以及各國的立法，這些都對清理海洋污染極為重要。
Photograph: The Ocean Cleanup