Giant Garbage Patch Turns Pacific Waters Turquoise

Researchers at the University of Bergen in Norway report that microplastic concentrations in the Pacific garbage patch, between Hawaii and California, have shifted seawater there toward blue and green over the past two decades, giving it a turquoise tint. Satellite data from 2002 to 2022 showed stronger blue-green reflectance in the area, and computer simulations matched the satellite images only when plastic was included. The team says on-site measurements are still needed to confirm that microplastics directly cause the color change.