‘Islands’ of plastic waste larger than the USA are killing our ocean life

Huge floating ‘garbage patches’ in the Pacific and North Atlantic are a threat to wildlife caused by our consumer culture, says Robert Hume

RETURNING from the Los Angeles-to-Honolulu yacht race in 1997, Captain Charles Moore was guiding his boat through the doldrums.

He noticed, floating in the water, a stretch of plastic debris, including toothbrushes, bottle caps and foam cups.