46% by mass of the plastic in the vortex comes from synthetic fishing nets. The biggest sources of microplastic (in general) are carpets and tires. Most of the

46% by mass of the plastic in the vortex comes from synthetic fishing nets. The biggest sources of microplastic (in general) are carpets and tires. Most of the waste in the vortex comes from the East Asian shipping and fishing industries. If we wanted to do something about this garbage patch, we would have demanded changes there first. Instead, a lot of municipalities banned plastic shopping bags and drinking straws, which are insignificant in the grand scheme, but highly visible. That's what raising awareness gets you as a streategy. With the best intentions but the worst prioritization, people just make ostentatious, ineffective displays they can brag about, while things grind on as usual.