News Article Review: An Island of Debris from 2011 Japanese Tsunami heading towards U.S.

Link: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2487555/Island-debris-size-TEXAS-2011-Japanese-tsunami-headed-straight-U-S.html

11^th March 2011 wasn’t just a nuclear tragic, the earthquake and tsunami also left a heap of land waste for Japan to deal with. 5 million tons of wreckage (eg homes, boats, other remnants) as has entered the ocean. Of which, 70% of the trash has sunk near the coast of Japan. The other 30%, or 1 million tons, which is about the size of Texas is floating in the Pacific Ocean. This pile of trash is expected to arrive at Hawaiian islands (on the western shores of America) after floating in the ocean for 2 years (refer to Image 1). Lighter and more mobile trash has already been documented to have reached the shores of California, Oregon and British Comlumbia (Mail Online, 2013).

Image 1: Trash from Japan tsunami, the size of Texas, floating towards Hawii (Source: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, 2013)

I have found a video showing timeline of various types of rubbish expected to reach America. The amount of debris shown is astonishing.

Trajectory of the rubbish is expected to slip into the North Pacific Gyre. Once it oscillates the gyre for 5 years, it is predicted that the trash main destination will be on the coastline of Hawaii (Ocean Conservancy, 2015). This means Hawaii will be thrown to deal with this migratory waste, and this could potentially be considered a transboundary pollution. Monitoring the garbage travel path is getting tougher as the debris is influenced greatly by wind direction. Currently, the debris are so dispersed over the large ocean that “it could no longer be tracked by satellite” (ibid.). Hence, differentiating debris from Japan tsunami and normal waste is tough. Quantifying the environmental impact from 2011 tsunami is thus almost impossible.

What scientists are most concerned is the harm the debris could bring to our marine ecosystem. As wind and water currents breakdown the debris to microparticles and microplastics, marine animals could ingest these tiny particles as it is mistaken for food (Tran, 2014). Also, derelict fishing gears can trap and threaten marine species and seabirds. As the debris heads ashore, coastal reefs could be damaged and invasive species introduced. Threat of invasive species from tsunami was never a concern prior to 2011, as scientists believed coastal species would not survive long in oceanic environment. However, a dock containing many coastal species arrived on Oregon coast on 3^rd June 2012, dispelling the initial assumption (Ocean Conservancy, 2015). The repercussions from 2011 Japan tsunami is widespread and is expected to persist for long.

From here, we understand that debris from 2011 Japan tsunami has became a transboundary marine pollution. This natural disaster not only impacted Japan itself, it also affects neighbouring nations. Though the debris is not radioactive, as it was swallowed into the ocean before Fukushima nuclear plant exploded, we should be wary of potential chemical reactions it could result. Microplastics and microparticles in the ocean may release toxic substance, further harming the marine ecosystem. Land pollution can ultimately lead to water pollution. As the rubbish persists in our waters, we should call for a concerted effort from the international community to address this problem.

References

Mail Online,. 'Texas-Sized Debris Island From Japanese Tsunami Headed For The US'. N.p., 2013. Web.

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Response.restoration.noaa.gov,. 'New NOAA Model Improves Understanding Of Potential Paths Of Japan Tsunami Debris | Response.Restoration.Noaa.Gov'. N.p., 2015. Web.

Oceanconservancy.org,. 'Ocean Conservancy: Tsunami Debris 101'. N.p., 2015. Web.

Tran, Cam. 'Scientists Track Debris From 3-Year-Old Japan Tsunami'. KITV. N.p., 2014. Web. Apr. 2015.