NOAA has run OSCURS (Ocean Surface Current Simulator), a numeric model for ocean surface currents, to predict the movement of marine debris generated by the Japan tsunami over five years. The results are shown here. Year 1 = red; Year 2 = orange; Year 3 = yellow; Year 4 = light blue; Year 5 = violet. The OCSURS model is used to measure the movement of surface currents over time, as well as the movement of what is in or on the water. Map courtesy of J. Churnside (NOAA OAR) and created through Google.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and other federal agencies are teaming up to document and track potential marine debris generated by the Japan earthquake and tsunami in March.

EPA and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration will issue a monthly bulletin to keep key stakeholders informed about tsunami debris activities, an effort resulting from an EPA lead marine debris workshop held in June in Honolulu.

The workshop, part of the regular Oceania Regional Response Team meeting, explored options for a coordinated response to the tsunami debris.

The ORRT, comprised of federal, state and U.S. Territory agencies, has an area of responsibility that includes Hawaii, Guam, American Samoa and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.

Follow up meetings resulted in a coordinated strategy for reporting of debris sightings.

An advisory was issued to U.S. flag vessels at the end of September by the Department of Transportation’s Maritime Administration (MARAD) requesting voluntary reporting of significant debris sightings in the open ocean to better characterize the extent and nature of the debris field.

“EPA and NOAA's efforts with our federal and state partners will paint a clearer picture of the amount of debris that may be floating on the ocean,” said Jared Blumenfeld, EPA’s Regional Administrator for the Pacific Southwest. “The federal government needs to be prepared to take action if tsunami debris poses navigational hazards or washes up on our shores.”

In March 2011 the Japanese tsunami triggered by the Great Tohoku Earthquake released what is estimated to be millions of tons of debris into the Pacific Ocean, according to the EPA.

Precise estimates are not available, although figures of between five and 20 million tons have been quoted. The Japanese Ministry of the Environment reported that the total quantity of waste from the earthquake and tsunami in that country totaled 25 tons.

University of Hawaii scientists have developed computer models that predict debris from the tsunami could potentially reach Hawaii by March 2012 and the U.S. West Coast by March 2013.

During the Sept. 17 Coastal Cleanup Day, the California Coastal Commission and U.S. EPA Region 9 worked together to evaluate what California's coast looks like in a “normal” year, which will serve as a baseline that can help identify debris surges in the future.

For more information on EPA Region 9’s marine debris efforts and to subscribe to the Tsunami Debris Bulletin and receive it via email visit: http://www.epa.gov/region9/marine-debris/ .

For more information on Tsunami Debris and the NOAA Marine Debris Program visit:

http://marinedebris.noaa.gov/info/japanfaqs.html and http://marinedebris.noaa.gov/welcome.html.

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