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A six-week expedition to check out floating trash in the Pacific Ocean returns to Southern California after traveling more than 3,3000 miles with some disturbing results.

The catamaran carrying a research team and their findings at sea returned to Long Beach Friday. It's Captain Charlie Moore's 10th trip to what he calls the "Great Pacific Garbage Patch." But this voyage to measure the volume of trash and plastic in the ocean 1,000 miles from California turned up startling results.

"We couldn't travel without seeing copious amounts of garbage pass by the boat each and every day for hundreds and hundreds of miles," said Moore.

Moore say the amount of garbage coming from Asia and America is much larger than he anticipated.

The Algalita Marine Research team collected samples of what they saw: tires, plastic crates and countless plastic bottles. Video taken during the trip shows a debris field, filled with large plastic buoys and other plastics that don't degrade.

One water sample showed small jellyfish surrounded by bits of plastic. Some of the plastics that end up in the ocean are eaten by fish.

Researchers have taken blood samples and looked at the livers of these fish, including many varieties that people eat, such as tuna. Researchers believe the plastic is impacting the ecosystem.

"For the size of the fish, the livers were way, way larger than they should be," said researcher Jesus Reyes. "And the discoloration was very variable. You went from very milky white, almost snow-white-type liver, to a very sort of brown, reddish sort of nasty rusted-looking liver."

The extent of the contamination won't be known for about six weeks, when testing is expected to be completed.

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'Pacific Garbage Patch' larger than anticipated

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A six-week expedition to check out floating trash in the Pacific Ocean returns to Southern California after traveling more than 3,3000 miles with some disturbing results. The catamaran carrying a research team and their findings at sea returned to Long Beach Friday. It's Captain Charlie Moore's 10th trip to what he calls the "Great Pacific Garbage Patch."

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Who knows about the Great Pacific (or Atlantic) Garbage Patch? 

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Who knows about the Great Pacific (or Atlantic) Garbage Patch? 

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Did you know about this? No

Why do you think such a big problem is relatively unheard of? Because the government does not want us to know so much about what is really going on in the world.

how can people help spread information about this problem and/or help develop solutions? Talk to more people about it or post things online.

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What is being done to clean up this mess?

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What is being done to clean up this mess?

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Are there any clean up efforts? Kind of

Who is helping solve this problem? No one they are not really trying because it would be too expensive to try and clean up the garbage in the middle of the ocean

What are some solutions to this problem? People can stop littering and start throwing everything in the trash.

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What affects does the garbage have on the environment?

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What affects does the garbage have on the environment?

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What areas of the ocean or land are impacted?

Animals have been eating the trash because they think it is food and have not been digesting the trash and have starved to death.

boats and submarines have been damaged because of the small plastics and debris.

The beaches and oceans, all over the world are also getting affected, including the poles.

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Where did the garbage come from? About 80% of the trash comes from activities on land, such as plastic bottles, bottle caps, and candy wrappers.

How did it come to be in the middle of the Pacific/ Atlantic ocean? Many people litter carelessly and the plastics and other things get into the shore and the currents carry them out into the ocean.

What is keeping the garbage there? The currents

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What is the Great Pacific (or Atlantic) Garbage Patch?

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What is the Great Pacific (or Atlantic) Garbage Patch?

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What is it? A collection of small marine debris (mostly plastic).

Where is it located? The garbage patch is located in the middle of the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans.