The 'plastic continent' is a metaphor used to describe the harsh reality of humanity's impact on the world's ecosystems. It is also known as the 'Great Pacific Garbage Patch'. The 'continent' is, in fact a zone in the Central Pacific composed entirely of plastic debris floating in the ocean. The most accurate measurements of it's size suggest it's as large as 620,000 square miles, or one-third the size of the United States mainland. But this isn't a floating mass of large items compressed together, rather it ressembles a large soup saturated with tiny plastic particles that ocean currents have broken down into nearly invisible pieces.
Yet, some larger items do occasionally accumulate into patches of their own. Certain regions are more saturated than others, but its ever growing density makes it a magnet for further plastic waste to settle. The consistency of the Pacific Ocean's rotating currents draw debris into the centre. This regular plastic transport mechanism built the first garbage patches in the mid 20th century. Since the 1960s, consumption of disposable plastics has seen a 20-fold increase. Today, major efforts and discussions are inciting people and businesses to reduce usage, and create re-usable, biodegradable products that are just as durable as plastic.