Executive Summary:

While industrialism thrives and continues to grow and prosper, the marine debris problem is in full force, affecting every part of the globe. Additional debris ranging from cigarette butts to fishing equipment to street signs enter open waters every day, due both to human’s negligence and natural events. The Misawa Docks that travelled to U.S. territories across the Pacific taught us a lot about the universality of debris and pollution in the oceans all around the world. With the oceans riddled with garbage of all sizes, current marine debris relief efforts have been proven to be somewhat successful, but there continues to be a flow of pollutant being dumped into the oceans daily. Today’s efforts to combat the marine debris problem has not solved the issue, yet it has taught scientists a lot and it hints at future steps to maximize the efficiency of relief efforts.

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