Soccer Ball Modeling The tsunami debris is not the How fast is the debris moving? Middleton Island, AK April, 2012 A NOAA modeling eort helps responders only debris in the ocean. Japan Tsunami understand where the debris may be located today, because it simulates how winds and currents may In March 2011, a massive earthquake Harley Davidson Motorcycle have moved items through the Pacic Ocean. The struck o the coast of Japan, creating Marine Debris in a Container model, which is a "hindcast," not a "forecast," shows Marine debris is an everyday problem. Graham Island, BC, Canada a devastating tsunami that inundated that some fast-moving debris may have already April, 2012 reached U.S. shores. Winds and ocean currents When trash and other waste material is not recycled or 217 square miles of coastline. The FAST MEDIUM constantly change, making it dicult to forecast the properly thrown away it can enter our streams and oceans. combined disasters killed nearly Items oating remaining debris’ movement far in advance. SLOW Items with equal higher in the water 16,000 people and destroyed much of area oating Items oating move faster such as the Sendai coast. above and below upright vessels, lower in the water water move at a Interagency Collaboration move slower such Styrofoam, and medium speed buoys. 34% as shing nets and such as a half-full When the tsunami wave retreated, it lumber. NOAA is leading eorts with federal, state, and local dragged rubble from buildings, gas tank. Floating Dock partners to coordinate information, collect data, Recycling people’s belongings, and Newport, OR assess the debris, and reduce possible impacts to our rate in 2010. infrastructure into the ocean. June, 2012 natural resources and coastal communities. Collaborative response eorts are underway in all Consumer debris, lumber, buoys, r time, debris can break apart and sink at sea. impacted states. s still oating. Ove un-moored vessels, and even piers how much i stimate of washed away. The Government of e is no e ut ther Addressing Public Concerns sed, b Japan estimated that the tsunami isper ely d swept about 5 million tons of debris lik It is highly unlikely that any debris holds harmful 0% into the ocean. 3 levels of radiation from the Fukushima nuclear emergency. Some items have been tested in The oating debris scattered across What happened to the debris? Small Ski What has been found? impacted states, and all readings were normal. 250 million tons North Pacic Ocean the wide North Pacic, carried Experts think it is unlikely that tsunami debris will October, 2012 Amount of trash eastward by winds and currents. Some Higher oating debris arrived on carry invasive species, unless an item (such as a of that debris has now reached U.S. U.S. shores during the winter of dock) was in the water long before the disaster. Americans 2011-2012. Reported items include shores, serving as a reminder that Debris with marine life attached should be reported generated in 2010. Where could the debris go in the future? plastics, Styrofoam, sports balls, marine debris, even from natural immediately to reduce the risk. 100s to 1,000s 70% likely sank right away. Large currents that make up the North Pacic Subtropical Gyre move oating docks, vessels, and even a disasters, truly is a global problem. of years clockwise, often taking marine debris on a circular ride around the Pacic. motorcycle in a container. It is highly unlikely that any human remains from the Debris that does not make landfall could get caught in these currents or 2011disaster will appear on U.S. shores. If you see 13% enter “garbage patches,” which are areas where debris tends to something concerning, notify your local ocials. Length of time accumulate. Eventually, debris from the tsunami will blend in with plastics can persist Percent of plastic existing marine debris. NOAA Marine Debris Program Debris Handling Guidelines in the environment. containers recycled in 2010. The NOAA Marine Debris Program Use common sense and follow general safety leads national and international guidelines. If you don't know what an item is, don't eorts to research, prevent, and touch it. If safe and practical, litter and other typical reduce the impacts of marine debris. marine debris items, such as aluminum cans and marinedebris.noaa.gov/ plastic bottles, can be removed or recycled. If the item is large, hazardous, or has marine life attached, Does existing marine debris and debris from the Japan Tsunami degrade in the ocean? don’t touch it. Call appropriate authorities. Tsunami debris can be reported to [email protected]. Some types of debris, especially plastics, never really go away. Rather, debris breaks down into smaller and smaller pieces.