A study conducted by the Okeanos group identified marine litter originating from the United States and Canada on the coastal areas of the Azores. The research focused on the islands of Faial and Pico, where a total of 1,577 litter items were collected.
The researchers analyzed labels on the objects found, which allowed them to trace the origin of the litter. The labels dated from periods between 1983 and 2023, revealing that much of this material remained in the ocean for decades.
The United States was the main source of the marine litter found, corresponding to 63% of the total items identified. Canada appears as another significant source of the material collected on these Portuguese islands.
The study demonstrates how marine litter can travel long distances through ocean currents, reaching the coastal areas of the Azores even when its origin is in countries far from the region.
