Why is there so much plastic on Henderson Island?
Why is there so much plastic on Henderson Island? (By comparison, Manhattan is 22 square miles in size.) Henderson island sits in the path of the South Pacific Gyre, a major oceanic current. Such currents are known to accumulate plastic, reaching densities 2.3 million pieces per square mile.
What is the most plastic-polluted island?
Located in the South Pacific, Henderson Island is one of the worst places affected by plastic pollution, holding the highest density of plastic debris in the world. Around 3 500 to 13 500 new plastic items wash up here every day. The island's East Beach spans 2km, and is polluted by 30 million plastic items.
What beach has a lot of plastic?
Kamilo Beach, located on the south-eastern tip of Hawaii's Big Island, has been dubbed one of the most plastic-polluted spots on the planet.
How does plastic pollution affect Henderson Island?
A study of Henderson Island in the South Pacific and the Cocos (Keeling) Islands, a remote territory of Australia in the Indian Ocean, found that plastic pollution acts as an insulator, increasing the temperature of the underlying sand.
What is the most polluted island in the world?
South Pacific currents dump as many as 40 million items of plastic and rubbish on the shores of Henderson Island each year, earning it the name of the most polluted island in the world.
What animals live on Henderson Island?
Henderson Island has a unique assemblage of plant and animal species. It supports 73 plant species, of which 9 are found no-where else in the world. Its four land birds are unique to Henderson: a fruit pigeon, a small parrot, a warbler, and a flightless rail. The island is also a vital haven for nesting seabirds.
Why does no one live on Henderson Island?
Henderson was colonised by Polynesians between the 12th and 15th centuries, but since then the island has remained uninhabited. The inhospitable nature of the island, together with its remoteness and inaccessibility, has so far effectively ensured its conservation.
What is the problem with Henderson Island?
The Challenge Due to its geographic position, Henderson Island is home to the world's most plastic-polluted beach. The South Pacific Gyre washes ocean plastic onto the island's shores, and no one is around to pick it up.
What beach is the most polluted in the world?
Kamilo Beach, which translates from Hawaiian to “twisting or swirling currents” is more often known as “Plastic Beach.” It's one of the dirtiest places in the world.
How many pieces of plastic are on Henderson Island?
The team estimates 37.7 million pieces of plastic debris litter Henderson Island, exposing the extent to which the Earth's nooks and crannies have become sinks for the 311 million tons of plastic waste created annually by humans.
Is there anything on Henderson Island?
The island today is the only known breeding site of the endangered Henderson Petrel and is an important breeding area for at least ten other seabird species.