The Indian Ocean garbage patch was discovered in 2010. It is a large area of ocean trash, formed by swirling currents called the Indian Ocean Gyre, which is one of five major ocean gyres. This patch is not a single, solid area of trash but instead has scattered pieces of debris. Like other garbage patches in the five ocean gyres, the plastics in this area break down into smaller and smaller pieces, eventually becoming tiny particles and basic building blocks of plastics. The area contains higher amounts of floating plastic pieces, chemical sludge, and other debris, mostly tiny particles too small to see with the naked eye. Scientists estimate that there are about 10,000 pieces of debris in every square kilometer of this patch.

Discovery

The Great Pacific Garbage Patch, the first such area to be discovered, was predicted in a 1988 paper by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) in the United States. This prediction was based on research conducted by scientists in Alaska between 1985 and 1988, who studied plastic floating on the ocean's surface in the North Pacific Ocean.

Studies of trash found on beaches around the Indian Ocean suggested that plastic would also be present in the water column of that ocean.

As plastic items that float on the surface or sink slowly accumulate in the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, scientists struggle to locate it because of strong and unpredictable ocean currents. For example, plastic waste collected from Asia ends up on islands in the western Indian Ocean and along the eastern African coast. This waste then travels across the Indian Ocean through the South Equatorial Current. Although the Indian Ocean Garbage Patch collects large amounts of plastic, which harms marine life, scientists have also found two additional garbage patches: the South Pacific Ocean Garbage Patch and the North Atlantic Garbage Patch. Unfortunately, about 90% of the waste found in these areas is plastic, which is harmful to marine life. Plastic waste accumulates and washes ashore, negatively affecting the health of living creatures. Strong currents carry plastic debris to different locations, hurting the environment and harming living organisms.

In 2010, the 5 Gyres Project began a planned series of ocean voyages to study whether the South Atlantic, South Pacific, and Indian Ocean gyres were affected similarly to the North Pacific and North Atlantic gyres. During the Indian Ocean leg of their trip, they traveled from Perth, Australia, to Port Louis, Mauritius (east of Madagascar). Plastic was found in every water sample collected during the 4,800 km (3,000 mi) journey. They discovered that the South Atlantic, South Pacific, and Indian Ocean gyres were affected in the same way as the North Pacific and North Atlantic gyres. Anna Cummins, co-founder of the 5 Gyres Institute, described the pollution they found as "a thin plastic soup."

Action for creating awareness

On April 11, 2013, artist Maria Cristina Finucci started the garbage patch state at UNESCO in Paris. This event took place in front of UNESCO Director General Irina Bokova. It was the first in a series of events supported by UNESCO and the Italian Ministry of the Environment.