How does a plastic bottle thrown on the ground by a person in st. louis, in the middle of the united states, become microplastic in the gulf of mexico?

incineration of plastics results in the production of microplastic that can be carried by the wind all over the planet.

much of the trash east of the mississippi river is shipped to the gulf of mexico for disposal, then the plastic dumped into the gulf is broken down into smaller and smaller pieces.

plastics are ground into tiny pieces before being washed down the drains of waste management facilities, ultimately reaching the gulf of mexico.

trash thrown on the ground can wash into streams and rivers and find its way into the gulf of mexico, where the plastic is broken down into smaller and smaller pieces.