Larger plastics entering the ocean have two possible fates: they can float on the surface or they can sink due to biofouling.

If not removed by clean-up operations through entanglement or ingestion, macroplastics (5 mm) will inevitably degrade and fragment into smaller plastics, posing a threat to marine life. Finding larger floating plastics in coastal waters may make it possible to learn crucial details about sources, pathways, and trends before they become entangled, consumed, exported, and/or degraded. Scientists are using computer technology to map and identify marine plastic pollution. Plymouth Marine Laboratory (PML) is taking pictures of various waste types with a camera mounted on a boat. The plastic bottles or bags can be recognized with 68% accuracy, the report claims. Despite being a significant factor in the global pollution crisis, plastic waste is difficult to monitor because of its size, complexity, and labor-intensive nature.

The problem of global plastic pollution exists. This strategy should serve as a springboard for the use of satellites and drones to address the marine plastics issue at the end of the product lifecycle. Artificial intelligence has made it possible for us to recognize floating plastic patches in the ocean. Environmental scientists may eventually employ the technique to more efficiently manage and monitor ocean plastic waste.