School of Physics Inquiring Minds Public Lecture: Prof. Annalisa Bracco, Georgia Tech School of Atmospheric Science

The use of plastic products has increased steadily since the material was first invented, a little over a century ago, and has boomed in the past 40 years. About 300 million tons of plastic were manufactured in 2013, U.S. being the largest consumer, and less than 10% is recycled. The remaining ends up in landfills and some in rivers, streams and ultimately the ocean. In the marine environment plastic makes up for most of the litter worldwide. It has been found everywhere, from the deep oceans to the Arctic ice. Here I will explain why ocean pollution by plastic debris is such a global phenomenon that interests coastlines, beaches and open ocean waters alike, and I will discuss associated consequences and major threats.