Pacific Garbage Patch Microplastics May Be Shifting Ocean Color, Satellites Show

A satellite study suggests that microplastics concentrated in the Great Pacific Garbage Patch could be altering the color of the ocean's surface. The shift appears as a subtle blue-green tint that satellites have been picking up over the past two decades. Researchers examined how these plastic particles scatter and absorb light and compared those effects with natural materials in the water. The authors note that direct optical measurements taken from within the patch will be needed to confirm the findings. The work underscores that keeping microplastics out of the oceans in the first place is essential to limiting their broader impact.