MOUNTAIN VIEW, CALIFORNIA — Initial results from the first aerial survey of the Great Pacific Garbage Patch suggest that ocean pollution is worse than we thought. <br /> <br />The Ocean Cleanup Foundation is conducting a series of aerial surveys over an area of plastic accumulation in the Pacific Ocean between Hawaii and California, according to a news release on its website. <br /> <br />Flying at low altitude and low speed, the survey uses Lidar technology to analyse the density and frequency of plastic ocean debris. <br /> <br />Recording the presence of debris larger than 0.5 meters by 1.5 meters, the crew found more than 1,000 pieces of plastic during a 2 ½-hour test flight. <br /> <br />The survey also aims to document discarded fishing nets known as “ghost nets”, which are difficult to detect and can ensnare marine life. <br /> <br />Researchers from the Great Ocean Cleanup said understanding the scope of the problem would help future efforts to remove trash from the Pacific.
