NOTABLE DISASTERS OF 2012 HIGHLIGHTS (In Reverse Chronological Order Within Each Natural Hazard, Technological Hazard, or Environmental Hazard Category) Walter Hays, Global Alliance for Disaster Reduction, University of North Carolina, USA

PART 5: TRASH FROM THE MARCH 2011 JAPANESE TSUNAMI UNKNOWN CONSEQUENCES

1 1/3 YEAR AFTER THE MARCH 11, 2011 EARTHQUAKE- TSUNAMI DISASTER IN JAPAN THE PROBLEM CONTINUES TO GROW

The March 11, 2011 tsunami swept as much debris into the ocean in one day as is usually dumped in a year

TSUNAMI TRASH DUMP IN JAPAN : MARCH 11, 2012

TRASH FROM MARCH 11, 2011 JAPANESE TSUNAMI : (US NAVY PHOTO)

WHAT HAPPENED? Immediately after the tsunami waves dissipated, heavy items sank to the ocean floor close to shore, But, at least 1.5m tons of debris were carried off by currents and began making the 4,500-mile journey across the Pacific

INITIAL PATH OF TSUNAMI TRASH

TSUNAMI DEBRIS REACHING HAWAII

WHAT HAPPENED? But, at least 1.5m tons of debris were carried off by currents and began making the 4,500-mile journey across the Pacific

WHAT HAPPENED? Within a month after the tsunami, the debris had dispersed and was stretched across 6,666 nautical km (4,000 nautical miles) of the north Pacific.

NATURE OF THE TRASH The tsunami trash contains refrigerators, boats, houses, cars, trees, Harley Davidson motorcycles, golf clubs, and many kinds of debris. IT MAY also CONTAIN RADIOACTIVE MATERIALS, although not expected to constitute a significant risk.

ONE YEAR LATER

THE PROBLEM MORE THAN 20 MILLION TONS OF TRASH CREATED BY THE MARCH 11, 2011 TSUNAMI ARE BEGINNING TO REACH THE USA

LOCATION OF TRASH: MARCH 11, 2012 About 3333 km (2,000 miles) south of Japan and 4333 km (2,600 miles) southwest of Cook Inlet, Alaska.

SIZE OF FLOATING TRASH More than three times the size of the contiguous United States.

ALTHOUGH RADIATION AND DEAD BODIES ARE NOT EXPECTED, THE TRASH REPRESENTS A HUGE ENVIRONMENTAL PROBLEM, FOR WHICH THERE IS LITTLE EXPERIENCE

ESTIMATED TIME OF ARRIVAL The floating trash is headed towards the beaches of Hawaii first in April, 2012, and then on to Alaska The trash is estimated to reach the Pacific Northwest states in 2014 and head back to the central Pacific

INITIAL CONSIDERATIONS THE USA IS NOT PREPARED TO DEAL WITH THIS PROBLEM

PREDICTIONS OF ARRIVAL Most of the debris is predicted to reach various parts of North America (Oregon, Washington, Canada, Alaska) in a trickle, not an avalanche, beginning in July 2012 and continuing into 2014.

A 70 FT FLOATING DOCK REACHES OREGON: JUNE 6

SOME TSUNAMI TRASH REACHES BRITISH COLUMBIA: JULY 12

MANY SCIENTISTS BELIEVE THE TRASH WILL EVENTUALLY END UP IN “THE GREAT PACIFIC GARBAGE PATCH” 1660 KM (1000 MILES) NORTH OF HAWAII

THE GREAT PACIFIC GARBAGE PATH Discovered in 1997 Contains millions of tons of the world’s trash kept in slow perpetual motion by rotating oceanic currents Hundreds of km (miles) across A DEAD ZONE FOR MARINE LIFE A threat to navigation and ecosystems

No one seems to know how the debris field will affect fishing, a multi-billion dollar industry in the Pacific Northwest.

THE TSUNAMI TRASH CHANGES CLEAN-UP PLANS 2009’s tentative plans to clean-up and recycle the trash in the Pacific Garbage Patch are on hold now, waiting for the tsunami trash to be added to the mix. Intense monitoring is planned to determine the levels of radioactivity in the trash and how they change over time.

No one seems to know how much it will cost to clean up the Garbage Patch, especially now.