Located in the middle of the South Pacific and recognized for decades for its unspoilt beauty, the isla Henderson has become a symbol of environmental crisis that the planet faces. And what until a few years ago was a natural paradise protected by UNESCOlike World Heritage Site, today is covered by thousands of tons of plastic that come from different corners of the world.
According to a report by The Guardian, Henderson has become one of the most contaminated on the planetdespite being more than 5,000 kilometers from the nearest population center. Its white sand and turquoise waters are now covered by remains of bottles, caps, toothbrushes, lighters and microplastics that accumulate relentlessly.
The most remote island in the world, trapped by plastic
According to a study cited by Smithsonian Magazinescientists have calculated that in Henderson hay more than 37 million pieces of plastic distributed along its coasts, which is equivalent to about 18 tons of visible garbage. This volume makes the small island one of the places with the highest waste density on the planet.
The researchers explain that the Pacific ocean currents They act like a “conveyor belt” that drags the waste from South America and Oceania until the Polynesiawhere they end up trapped by the waves. The geographical location of Hendersonright in the center of that ocean flow, has turned it into a natural trap for floating waste.
A World Heritage Site in crisis
The UNESCO declared to the Henderson Island World Heritage Site in 1988 for his unique biodiversity and its ecosystem practically intact. However, the current reality contrasts with that recognition. The species of sea birds and turtles that nest on its beaches now coexist with plastics embedded in the sand and fragments that are confused with their food.
According to The Guardianscientists who visited the island in recent years found objects what They date back more than 40 yearsmany with labels still legible. Most of them come from distant countries like Chile, China and the United Stateswhich shows the global nature of the problem.
Cleanup efforts and an uncertain future
Several environmental organizations have attempted to clean up Hendersonbut the magnitude of the problem has surpassed any effort. The teams of volunteers they achieve remove tons of waste during each expedition, but weeks later the marine currents return to deposit new garbage.
The experts cited by Smithsonian Magazine warn that the only sustainable solution is through drastically reduce the production and consumption of plastics. Hendersonthey say, is a reflection of what could happen to many other remote islands if urgent measures are not taken at a global level.
Continue reading:
The 10 most disappointing destinations in world tourism in 2025
New Jersey passes law allowing bodies to become soil
172 million Americans drink water contaminated with PFAS