Conducted as part of the EU MICRO project[1|. ( This would suggest a low generation of waste compared with many mainland centres although, in some cases, tourism does increase the generation of waste. Unfortunately, many mid-ocean islands, such as Easter Island and Midway Atoll, receive a disproportionate burden of plastic marine litter as a result of long distance transport by surface currents. The Hawaiian Islands lie on the southern edge of the North Pacific sub-tropical gyre and are particularly susceptible to receiving floating debris.