Drifting East Japan Earthquake debris of the Pacific Ocean
It is estimated by the National Institute of Environmental Studies that roughly 3 million tons of debris has been washed away in the East Japan earthquake and tsunami in March, a part of which is still drifting in the Pacific ocean.
A research group from the University of Hawaii released a result of the investigation that the Japan tsunami marine debris is drifting about 3,200 km east of Japan and about 900 km west of the Midway Islands in the Pacific ocean.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has announced that NOAA and EPA will be closely tracking the location and amount of the drifting debris and disclose the information every month, so that the nearby vessels and the U.S. Pacific islands (Hawaii, Guam, etc.) won’t be harmed. They’re prepared to remove the debris if it reaches the Midway Islands.
Both Japanese and U.S. researchers are pointing out that a part of the debris will likely to reach the shores of Hawaii as early as spring 2012, and advising to have a necessary measures to prevent any possible harm to marine ecosystem and/or the local tourism.
