14. Lost Shoes and Flip-Flops
Lost shoes and flip-flops are surprisingly common finds during ocean surveys.
Made from buoyant plastics and foams, they can float for years, crossing entire oceans and washing up on even the most remote beaches.
These items become artificial islands, sometimes colonized by marine organisms, but ultimately add to the mounting plastic problem.
For more on how flip-flops and shoes travel the world’s seas, see this BBC article.