What is the term used to describe the assemblage of marine debris in the Northern Pacific Ocean?

The North Pacific Ocean contains a collection of marine debris known as the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. The Pacific trash vortex, as it is also known, encompasses the seas from Japan to the West Coast of North America. The term "marine debris" refers to trash that finds its way into seas, oceans, and other large bodies of water. According to a recent study by the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center (SERC), this enormous accumulation of plastic waste is now home to thousands of marine animals, forming a brand-new type of ecosystem.