Fig. 1: The area covered in the study and summary results from the plastic transfer model.

a Map showing the countries included in the study; the extent of their respective EEZs; their river emissions; and the major ocean currents influencing the transfer dynamics of surface ocean plastic in the region. b Map showing the modelled, annual mean mass concentration of surface ocean macroplastic in the North Atlantic in the year 2014. c The annual mean of surface ocean plastic within each EEZ which is exported per day to the EEZ of a neighbouring country, or to other waters, in the year 2014. d The annual mean stock of surface ocean plastic within the EEZ of each country in the year 2014, with colours indicating the country from which the plastic originated.