http://www.nationalgeographic.org/encyclopedia/great-pacific-garbage-patch/
The link above is to a national geographic article that frankly shocked me.
It is about a massive floating pile of garbage in the Pacific. And no one seems to know how to clean it up. Or simply don't want to because according to the article it would "bankrupt any country that tried".  Hay here is a wacky thought how about a group of countries that contributed to the mess all chip in a little bit.

I also found a few more article that you may find interesting.
https://www.generalkinematics.com/blog/top-10-recycling-countries-around-world/
http://www.canadianrockies.net/banff/poaching.html
http://www.wwf.ca/