Small portable islands

11 Best Kitchen Carts and Portable Kitchen Islands 2023

11 Best Kitchen Carts and Portable Kitchen Islands 2023 | The Strategist

Every product is independently selected by (obsessive) editors. Things you buy through our links may earn us a commission.

best in class Updated Feb. 1, 2023

By Ambar Pardilla, a writer at the Strategist covering fashion and home organization. She joined the Strategist as a writer in 2021 and before that worked at NBC and HuffPost.

Photo: Marcus McDonald

Best overall
Best for small spaces
Best-looking
Best heavy-duty
Best with stainless-steel top
Best with spice rack
Best with cabinet storage

There’s really no such thing as the “perfect” kitchen — there’s always too little countertop space, not enough cabinets, or a combination of the two. This is where having a host of storage solutions comes in handy, like an over-the-sink dish rack or stackable containers for a prepper-like pantry. Though, no solution is probably as functional as a cart — not only can it hold everything you don’t have room for, it can double as an island to cook off of. Plus, you can roll it to wherever you like while you’re shuffling around making dinner. To find the best of the best, I talked to experts — including professional organizers, recipe developers, and a prop stylist — about the kitchen carts that they recommend. And stay tuned, as I’ll be putting some of these to the test and reporting back soon.

Since these are kitchen carts we’re talking about — destined to be covered in tomato sauce and pancake mix — they should be relatively cleanable. Interior designer Liz Lipkin sums it up best: “Take inspiration from kitchen surfaces. Stainless steel, powder-coated steel, butcher-block, and quartz are all easy to care for.” Durable stainless steel can handle high temperatures, explains Elsa Elbert, founder of Composed Living. “You can’t beat steel when it comes to strength,” seconds Lisa Zaslow, owner of Gotham Organizers. “That’s why so many professional kitchens and gourmet shops use steel shelving.” Prop stylist Cait Gury also likes steel since you won’t have to worry about the stains that might “plague a more porous material like marble or wood.” (Plastic is also an option). Additionally, you’ll want to think about the aesthetics of it all. “Matching your cart color to your cabinets will create a more cohesive look,” Lipkin suggests.

Speaking of aesthetics, I considered the interplay between form and function with every cart. Several of our experts mentioned carts that feature cabinets or shelves to free up precious drawer space. Deciding between the two comes down to “whether you want to go for a more minimalist open-shelf concept or if you want closed doors to avoid visual clutter,” Elbert says. Wheels are another factor to think about — Zaslow recommends looking for those that can lock so your cart only rolls when you need it to (especially if you have uneven floorboards). Really, the right design is about, as Gury puts it, “what your existing space is lacking. Do you find yourself getting frustrated with a lack of meal prep space? Are you desperate for a little more storage?”

The dimensions of a cart will determine whether it’ll actually fit into your kitchen. If you have a particular spot in mind, Elbert recommends marking your maximum measurements with painter’s tape on the floor. And Lipkin points out that many countertops are around 36 inches tall, so a cart that matches that height will look “more at home in your kitchen” and, for most people, be comfortable to work at. For each of the recommendations below, I included the measurements in the following order: length, width, and height, so you can compare between them more easily.

Ikea Råskog Utility Cart

$40

Material: Steel, polyester powder-coated | Design: Three tiers, movable middle shelf, leveling (non-locking) wheels | Size: 13.75” x 17.75” x 30.75”

The multipurpose Råskog takes the “best overall” blue ribbon with our panel praising its utilitarian steel frame and endless versatility. “It’s the Ikea cart that’s doing the most in small-space kitchens across New York City,” explains Brittany Nims, associate director of e-commerce partnerships and business development at Vox Media. The “junk drawer on wheels,” as she describes it, has served her as a dumping ground for kitchen linens and cleaning supplies. Similarly, when Gury lived in a tiny Brooklyn apartment, the Råskog gave her much-needed (and cheap) storage space. Jammed with spice jars and rolling pins, she would “roll it up to the stove then tuck it away in a corner, post-cooking.”

Or do as Vanessa Dina, author of The Art of the Bar Cart, does, and use it as a martini-making station. In our guide to the best bar carts, the Råskog won the title of “best bargain” with Dina applauding its durability. For about $12 more, you can buy a cutting board (designed specifically for the topmost shelf) to have a surface to make your drinks.

Beyond the kitchen, the cart can help you organize whatever else you don’t have a place for. The Råskog has appeared in our archives a number of times — I double checked, as the writer charged with our organization coverage. Jeni Aron, founder of Clutter Cowgirl, cited it as one of her favorite dorm-room storage solutions, as it can double as a nightstand (and then work just as well in a student’s first apartment). Strategist writer Lauren Ro used it to furnish her firstborn’s Montessori-inspired playroom, where it held construction paper, coloring books, and Play-Doh.

$40 at Ikea

Buy

AmazonBasics Kitchen Rolling Microwave Cart

$73

Material: Chrome-plated steel, wood | Design: Adjustable shelves, chrome hooks, smooth-rolling wheels (two locking) | Size: 15” x 36. 7” x 21”

With a kitchen that’s “better described as a 22-square-foot closet,” Hannah Starke, a former member of the Strategist’s social team, uses this Amazon Basics storage cart to maximize every spare bit of space. Originally she intended to use the butcher-block top as an extra counter for food prep, placing her microwave on top of her fridge — until her mother nixed that idea as a potential safety hazard. Her microwave now sits on the top shelf of the cart with a blender, toaster, cast-iron skillet, colander, and portable dishwasher (phew) packed into the bottom racks. The height of the racks can also be adjusted depending on what you want to store on them.

$73 at Amazon

Buy

mDesign Portable Metal Rolling Laundry Cart

$40

$48 now 17% off

$40

Material: Steel | Design: Four tiers, mesh-like shelf design, non-locking wheels | Size: 6.7” x 17.3” x 38.3”

Billed as a laundry cart, this metal mDesign option is a favorite of Nicole Abramovici, owner of Genius Organizing. It has one additional tier compared to our best overall pick. “The more the better, especially when maximizing vertical space,” Abramovici says. You could even stock it with small appliances that aren’t used often but you don’t want to lose track of. She finds it to be especially useful for small items that can be hard to find a place for, like bottles of supplements. And since it’s taller rather than wider, it can slide into narrower spots and won’t take up too much floor space.

$40 at Amazon

Buy

$40 at Target

Buy

Yamazaki Rolling Storage Cart

$145

Material: Steel, wood | Design: Slim-profile, three tiers, side handle, two swivel wheels and two rigid wheels | Size: 5.1” x 18.7” x 31.7”

Yamazaki has made appearances all over our archives — unsurprisingly, the brand came up again when we started working on this guide. This extra-slim cart is meant for those corners and tight spaces that might otherwise go unused. Heidi Lee of home-organization service Prune + Pare stores hers in a little nook between her appliances. She especially likes the cart’s “out of sight, out of mind” quality, as it stays tucked away until she turns on the stove and pulls it out to grab things from it while she cooks. It’s ideal for those who don’t have a pantry, according to Lee, who stores spices, canned foods, wine bottles, oils, and vinegars on the cart, organizing it with a “like goes with like” philosophy. “It’s great for small living with limited space,” Lee adds.

Yamazaki Tower Rolling Utility Cart

$148

Material: Steel, synthetic rubber | Design: Three shelves, handles, swivel wheels (one locking) | Size: 19.3” x 15” x 32.1”

This cart’s elegance is what initially attracted Jessie Sheehan, recipe developer and author of Snackable Bakes, to it. Not only does it feature clean lines, it comes with practical additions like hooks (for pot holders, tongs, or a fish spatula, she says) and handles that are equally as streamlined. Sheehan also likes how the modest cart is visually subtle once filled, and organizes hers with smaller items up front and anything taller in the back. The cart also ended up being the best choice for her galley-style kitchen since it helps her easily roll equipment (especially her frequently used stand mixer) from one end to the other.

Amazon Basics 3-Shelf Adjustable Heavy Duty Storage Shelving Unit

$43

Material: Steel | Design: Three adjustable-height shelves, leveling feet, removable wheels (two locking) | Size: 13. 4” x 23.2” x 32.75”

“It’s shockingly sturdy,” says Rebecca Firkser, freelance food writer and recipe developer, of this “professional-looking, home-kitchen-friendly” cart from Amazon Basics. Though Firkser recently upgraded to a more stationary island (the Belmont from Crate & Barrel, if you’re curious), she fondly reminisces about this cart that previously helped her organize her kitchen. The bottom tier housed her stand mixer on one side and sheet pans and cutting boards on the other. The middle tier carried bins with everything from serving utensils and citrus juicers to funnels and a stack of liquid-measuring cups. And the topmost tier held a number of condiments including chile crisps, flaky salt, and finishing oils. She even packed in a pile of towels and hung tongs and ladles on an edge of the cart. (“Whew, can you see how I outgrew this?” she jokes. ) Despite the weight of those essentials, however, the cart was easy to move around — as long as the wheels were unlocked. “When locked, it wasn’t going anywhere,” Firkser says. She adds: “I also find furniture assembly very complicated, but this gave me no trouble at all.” She still uses the five-tier version elsewhere in her apartment.

$43 at Amazon

Buy

The Twillery Co. Miriam Rolling Kitchen Cart

$233

Material: Stainless steel, chrome finish | Design: Metal basket-style shelves, removable wheels (two locking), side hooks | Size: 20” x 38.62”’ x 36”

If you don’t mind a more industrial look, consider the Miriam cart. It’s one that Gury frequently recommends to her own clients — her tip is to add touches like fresh flowers, fruit, or stacks of cookbooks to make the stainless steel feel more domestic. The cart includes three shelves (if you count the top), two of which mimic metal storage bins, with several hooks “for easy-to-grab items, like wooden spoons and dish towels, while cooking,” Gury says. And the Miriam comes with removable wheels, unlike some of the others on our list — take them off to give the cart more of a kitchen-island look.

$233 at Wayfair

Buy

Hodedah Kitchen Island with Spice Rack

From $122

Material: Wood | Design: One drawer, two shelves, locking wheels, spice rack, towel holder | Size: 15.5” x 44. 9” x 35.2”

Aysegul Sanford, the food blogger behind Foolproof Living, directed us to this rolling island that has a specially designed shelf just for spices. It’s a space-saving solution to cluttering your countertop with seasonings — Sanford likes that she can add even more spices to the additional drawer space, which is “another essential that many other carts lack.” Along with this shelf and drawer, the cart comes with a dual-door cabinet. “The doors hide everything away,” she says, adding that the cupboard is where she keeps her air fryer. And when there are a number of cooks in the kitchen during dinner parties or family get-togethers, the cart’s top is sturdy (unlike others that rattle over time), making chopping on it much easier, Sanford explains.

From $122 at Amazon

Buy

$150 at Target

Buy

Red Barrel Studio Kuhnhenn Wide Rolling Kitchen Cart

$390

Material: Mix of solid and manufactured wood | Design: Three drawers, three shelves, removable and locking wheels, drop-leaf top, spice rack, towel rack | Size: 18” x 53.5” x 36”

Though this Abramovici-approved Red Barrel Studio cart is similar to the Hodedah above, it offers a lot more storage. The Kuhnhenn acts as “basically another row of cabinetry,” Abramovici says. It’s tricked out with three drawers on one side and a two-door cabinet with three interior shelves to hold plenty of stuff while blocking the “visual noise” of mismatched plate stacks or a tower of food-storage containers that you’d rather not see. Her clients often like this cart for that very reason. The top doubles as a countertop space, and it can also be used as a dining table — there’s a hinged drop-leaf portion on the top you can lift to fit stools underneath.

$390 at Wayfair

Buy

Costway Kitchen Island 2-Door Storage Cabinet

$240

4.4 stars, 40 reviews

$240

Material: Stainless steel, recycled wood scraps | Design: Three drawers, three shelves, towel and bottle rack, smooth-rolling and locking wheels | Size: 53” x 18” x 36”

And as a more affordable alternative, Elbert recommends this Costway cart. Like the one from Red Barrel Studio, this pick includes a combination of doors and drawers to configure in just about any way you’d like. The cabinet’s interior shelves are spacious enough for small appliances, while the drawers can hold silverware and other utensils, according to Elbert. All that room means you’ll have “easy access to the items you use all the time.” Although it’s on the larger side, Elbert assures that it moves around without a problem.

$240 at Walmart

Buy

$500 at Target

Buy

Loden Wide-Rolling Kitchen Cart with Solid Wood Top

$393

Material: Mix of solid and manufactured wood | Design: One drawer, two shelves, locking wheels, tower rack, side rack | Size: 19” x 32” x 35.5”

Those who might need more cabinets but don’t have the space for more should consider the Loden. Founder of the New Baguette Alexandra Shytsman depends on the cart — using it to hold all her silverware and pots and pans because her galley kitchen has tiny drawers and little under-counter cabinet space. Shytsman has also been able to store her toaster, water-filter pitcher, and food processor — her three most-used appliances — on the cart, along with an admittedly large Dutch oven on one shelf. There’s just one caveat: Though it has a wooden block on the top, it’s not the sturdiest surface if you’re doing a lot of chopping. “I wouldn’t do any major prep work on it,” she says, adding that it’s better for small necessities, like cutting up a banana for granola.

$393 at Wayfair

Buy

A kitchen cart that comes with hooks for hanging utensils

$72

4.3 stars 198 reviews

Buy at Amazon

A foldable unit that doubles as a kitchen cart

Buy at The Container Store

A wire rolling cart readers have bought 946 times

$63

$70 now 10% off

4. 7 stars 10,638 reviews

Buy at Amazon

• Nicole Abramovici, owner of Genius Organizing
• Vanessa Dina, author of The Art of the Bar Cart
• Elsa Elbert, founder of Composed Living
• Rebecca Firkser, freelance food writer and recipe developer
• Cait Gury, prop stylist
• Heidi Lee, founder of home-organization service Prune + Pare
• Liz Lipkin, interior designer
• Brittany Nims, associate director of e-commerce partnerships and business development at Vox Media
• Aysegul Sanford, food blogger behind Foolproof Living
• Jessie Sheehan, recipe developer and author of Snackable Bakes
• Alexandra Shytsman, founder of the New Baguette
• Hannah Starke, former member of the Strategist’s social team
• Lisa Zaslow, owner of Gotham Organizers

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The 11 Very Best Kitchen Carts

Every product is independently selected by (obsessive) editors. Things you buy through our links may earn us a commission.

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Kitchen carts and islands are your best kitchen friends

No man is an island, said English poet John Donne. Sure, that probably had nothing to do with stand-alone kitchen units. But when it comes to kitchen islands, that’s exactly what you want to be: stand-alone. Preferably in an open space. With lots of room to move around and do your thing. Just you, yourself, and your butcher’s block; ready to tackle your next tasty masterpiece.

Your very own (kitchen) island paradise!

In a small space or an open-plan design, the perfect kitchen island will do wonders for any home chef. It offers a vast area of use and will act as your new multifunctional best friend. Prepping, cutting, cooking, storing, and even dining has never been easier.

We have a variety of options to make sure you can find whatever suits your needs. Maybe you’re looking to add some extra workspace or storage? Or you want a nice unit for family and friends to gather around? No problem, there’s something here for everyone.

No folly with a kitchen trolley

If you’re operating your way around a smaller kitchen, you might need some extra workspace or storage. Why not create a mini island using a utility cart? It’ll serve as a practical, space efficient feature in your kitchen, especially since you can move it around as you please.

Get a cart with just the shelves if storage is your primary focus. It’s a great place to keep everything from spices to steak knives. On the other hand, if you’re looking to add some workspace, you should get one with a tabletop as well. What about treating yourself to a cart with a butcher’s block countertop to bring some pro-chef quality to your kitchen? Bonus tip: kitchen carts with curved ends will create a better flow around your unit. That way, you can move around more freely without risking bumping into sharp edges.

Kitchen island units – love at first sight

A kitchen island is a great way to combine everything you need in your kitchen. Since it’s usually a larger unit, it can offer both storage and prep space, as well as an integrated dining area. With shelves beneath the tabletop, you’ll be able to hide much of your storage: from plates and cutlery to pots and pans. Add baskets to the shelves for a neater look with a better overview.

And since you can play around with bar stools, why not go all-in? Dare to make a statement with your stools, and your kitchen island will be the social center of attention. Make sure to pick the right size stools so that they can be tucked under the island top. That’ll give the unit a clean look and the chairs will take up less space.

Bang away at a butcher’s block countertop

Butcher blocks have been used by butchers for centuries. It’s a robust piece of wood, made for heavy-duty chopping. They’re also made to last, so they’ll endure most hardships that a home chef might put them through. Make sure to keep the block well-oiled, and it will serve as a loyal friend in your kitchen.

Now that you know how it works, it’s just a matter of choosing between a butcher’s block cart or a traditional kitchen island. They both have all the advantages we’ve already mentioned above, plus the durable surface. So, if you’re looking to impress with your prepping and chopping skills, you’re all set.

Once you have your workspace in order, make sure to also get all the kitchen utensils you need.

Private (and amazingly affordable!) escape islands Independent Appraisal Company

These secluded resorts are just you and the sea - and some of them are surprisingly affordable.

You are on a deserted island. What three things would you like? The correct answer is: a private backwater, a butler and a beach bar with great drinks (preferably set on the deck of a luxury yacht).

Private island resorts - what could be better? The globally turbulent year 2016 exacerbated the tendency to seek remote corners and unspoiled places to escape from all the worries and problems of the mainland. It doesn't matter what it is that makes you jump at home at night; here you will sleep peacefully, and the only concern will be the question of which drink will look best on a sunset photo on Instagram.

If a healthy dose of escapism (desire to escape from reality) is just what the doctor ordered, consider these nine destinations - from the Maldives to Belize - as an opportunity to indulge in a world of serene luxury. What is the best news? Some of the destinations are estimated to cost you less than $500 per night.

The largest number of private island resorts can be found in the Maldives, Seychelles and Fiji, where small outlying areas of land create ideal conditions for organizing romantic hotels. And yet, St. Regis is the first real estate on a private island - perhaps the perfect place to spend the night in the middle of the Indian Ocean. Open November 1st, the resort features 77 butler-managed villas surrounded by lush tropical flora, and the villas themselves seem to float above the purest turquoise water. The stylish interior is almost entirely done with a touch of light minimalism, focusing on palm trees that grow in any direction and crystal clear waters that splash right at the doorstep. Room rates start at $1771.

Chempedak Island, Indonesia

From the beach, the 20 duplex villas that make up Chempedak Resort look like wrinkled mountains jutting out from the coastline. All of them are woven from bamboo, decorated with fragrant ylang-ylang, each has a balcony, terrace and pool. This may well be the most ambitious bamboo architecture project ever, which would come as no surprise, especially to those familiar with the first project, Niko Island, which won an award for innovative hospitality design. These two projects are quite close to each other. Like its older brother, Chempedak Island takes seriously the need to be whole and self-sufficient, which of course does not make it less attractive in the eyes of hedonists. The resort opens in March, and rooms start at $350.

Miawana Resort, Madagascar

The opening of this resort is scheduled for the beginning of the new year, but long before the official reception of the first guests, Miawana has become one of the most anticipated resorts. Its 14 villas were designed by the architect who created the Wilderness Safari resort on the Seychelles Nord Island (and, according to insiders, this is the most stunning place under the sun). This, according to an independent real estate appraisal, will be the first luxury hotel in Madagascar, where guests can take part in a lemur safari. By the way, the imminent opening of the hotel has become a massive factor in preserving and empowering the communities of the remote Nosy Anko archipelago, with active efforts to support local farmers and artisans. Sounds like a triple win. Room rates start at $2500 per person per night.

Camalame Cay, Bahamas

Known as one of the best hotels in the Caribbean, it's all the more delightful to know that the hotel recently introduced eight new standard-setting beach bungalows. Each of the houses is painted in dazzling white, the interior is decorated with denim-upholstered sofas and linen curtains, and outside there are spacious terraces from where you can admire the sea and the night sky. But it's the little things that make Camalame such a special resort: daily deliveries of homemade cookies, personal golf carts for each bungalow, and spa treatments by the water for an endless pampering experience. This is the most luxurious version of the life of an exile. Room rates start at $450.

Six Senses Resort Zil Pasyon, Seychelles

Zil Pasyon is too massive for a private resort - according to the land plot, it is the dominant island of Felicite, whose area is 264 hectares. Felicite is one of the 115 islands that make up the Seychelles. Despite the spacious territory, the resort itself is by no means densely populated: there are only 30 villas with one or two bedrooms, and 17 private residences, but each of the properties has a private pool. Just 20 minutes by helicopter (or an hour and a half by boat) from the main island of Mahe and you find yourself in the paradise jungle of Robinson Crusoe. Among other things, the beds in the rooms are decorated with canopies with light white fabrics that gently sway in the soft sea breeze. Bonus: the hotel has a spa and boat rental; from here you can go to the Coco de Mer valley, where the Seychelles palm trees grow, and you can just enjoy the sunset with a glass of an exquisite cocktail. Rooms start at $1282.

Four Seasons Hotel & Resort, Voava Island, Maldives

the concept of luxury to a new level. Now, a similar trend has begun to embody on land and under water, with the opening of the first private resort on the Maldivian island of Voava, where you and only you will live on two hectares of unspoiled land. Guests are invited to relax on a nearly 20-meter yacht, from which you can go snorkeling in the waters of the biosphere reserve (it is home to one of the largest populations of stingrays, but you can also watch turtles, dolphins and colorful tropical fish here). The management of the hotel takes the issue of privacy very seriously: seven bedrooms are distributed over three houses, and bookings are only possible on an exclusive basis. Prices are also provided solely at the individual request of an interested (and, you can be sure, wealthy) client.

Kokomo Island, Fiji

Fiji is like Australia's Hamptons, so it's no surprise that Australian billionaire real estate developer Lang Walker chose this island to make his dream come true. It is also not surprising that he named the island Kokomo - Walker has a whole yacht fleet with the same name, which, according to rumors, came from a small pleasure boat of his childhood. The island, located at the northernmost tip of the archipelago and surrounded by coral reefs, is built up with 26 huge villas and residences, according to commercial real estate. But all the beauty of the surrounding landscape can be enjoyed without leaving the main pool of the hotel, from which the silhouettes of the mountainous islands located in the immediate vicinity emerge. In the bar, as in all restaurants in the resort, they use only local fruits and vegetables grown right here in the hotel's garden. The resort itself has been operating since March, and rooms start at $1995 per day.

Tourneffe Private Island Resort, Belize

Technically, Turneffe Resort can hardly be called new - in fact, it hosted its first guests 15 years ago, but not so long ago the resort experienced a total "plastic surgery", receiving 22 modernized rooms off the coast of Belize City. The wide range of entertainment is nothing compared to the glossy exterior of the refurbished resort. Those who are far from the South Pacific will have to decide on a long flight to Turneffe, but the price justifies the long journey: a week-long all-inclusive holiday will cost only $2090. Daily room rate starts from $300.

Milaidhoo Island, Maldives

Milaidhoo Island epitomizes and embodies all the iconic fantasies of the Maldives: gabled villas soaring above the water, thatched roofs, turquoise and sand color palette and infinity outdoor pools with fresh water that look like dissolve in the boundless waters of the Indian Ocean. Unlike many other similar resorts, Milaidhoo Island also accepts small guests (from nine years old and older). Regardless of your age, you will enjoy dining at the hotel's signature restaurant, which is located on the deck of a traditional Maldivian sailboat. Go there right at sunset and order something freshly caught, something that was floating in the ocean in the morning. Believe me, the choice of dishes is impressive. Rooms at this resort start at $1,476.

Olga Shoshina

Interesting materials on the topic:

10 The most expensive private islands of the world

Forbid the mega-hay-tomorrow billionaires will buy portable islands

on the Takho Takho near Lissabon. apartment price

Investors buy up private islands

Uninhabited island of plastic waste - The Batrachospermum Magazine

catch a small plane there, flying once a week to the Gambier Islands, get on a cargo ship that left New Zealand ten days earlier, and convince the captain to change course to Henderson - no ship goes there unless you insistently ask. This is one of the most remote corners of the Earth, located right in the middle of the South Pacific.

However, Google Street View got there. Find Henderson on Google Maps, drag the yellow man to the north end of the East Coast, and you'll be able to take a look around the most littered beach in the world. Bottles, boxes, canisters, other containers, pieces of hoses, pieces of ropes, fragments of ship belongings, some balls, pipes, nets, shnyashki - all this will meet you along the way in the wildest abundance. Lavers saw all this during a screen walk - and, having been horrified virtually, she immediately hurried to the island to be horrified with her own eyes.

What kind of trash can you find on Henderson Island! We've found a guy with a camera.

In reality, everything looked even worse. Right next to the landing site, a truck tire was sticking out of the sand – “it was a warning,” says Lavers. “Then it got worse and worse,” she continues. - There is a section on the beach that we called the “garbage patch”: wherever you step, you will definitely step on the bottle cap. The abundance of rubbish just takes your breath away.”

But Henderson, in theory, should be clean - it's uninhabited, and tourists don't go there, except maybe some explorers every five to ten years. There is no one to litter. At 19In 88, the island was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site, because there were colonies of rare birds and phosphate deposits untouched by man. The nearest settlement, Adamstown on Pitcairn Island, is more than a hundred kilometers away and has only a few dozen inhabitants. And yet, plastic trash has turned Henderson into another big dumping ground for mankind.

“It really is one of the last paradises on the planet, little visited but zealously guarded,” Lavers wonders. “But I don’t remember that I was anywhere in such a boundless and absolute environment of plastic.”

The fact is that the Pitcairn Islands are located within the South Pacific ring of currents, and the garbage circulating in it, when it meets land, settles on the shores, like bending on the walls of your sink when draining. In general, more than five trillion plastic particles float in the surface layers of the oceans today, mostly in the form of millimeter-sized crumbs.

Jennifer Lavers, an ecologist at the University of Tasmania, Australia, has been studying plastic pollution on Earth's isolated islands for years. She and her colleagues, including Alexander Bond of the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (UK), arrived at Henderson in 2015 and spent three months there with the company of garbage, viewing and counting it.

It was not an easy experience. The corner, of course, is heavenly - with sandy beaches, sprawling palm trees and caressing the view of the sea. However, there is no fresh water, and frequent storms rip coconuts from palm trees, dropping them on scientists' tents in the middle of the night, sometimes along with the palm itself. It is also important that Henderson is an atoll, that is, it consists mostly of sharp coral remnants that strive to cut your slippers at any opportunity. So the expedition members had to tie up the falling shoes with ropes thrown onto the beach, among other garbage. “With the exception of a few narrow stretches of sandy shore, the island basically wants to kill you as quickly as possible,” recalls Lavers.

Garbage itself also kills animals. At least one turtle has been seen on the beach tangled to death in a fishing net. It also creates a physical barrier for green turtles to come ashore to lay their eggs, and Henderson is the only one of the Pitcairn Islands where they nest. In addition, the biodiversity of coastal invertebrates is being reduced due to plastic, Lavers notes, and two species of native birds are in danger of choking on them and suffocating.

But hermit crabs Coenobita spinosa, living on Henderson Island, use garbage for their own benefit - they often arrange portable houses from plastic containers and caps. Photo: Jennifer Lavers.

On the beaches of Henderson and in coastal vegetation, the scientific team counted more than 53 thousand fragments of anthropogenic debris larger than 2 mm. On each square meter there are from 20 to 670 plastic elements, another 50 to 4500 are hidden in a 10-centimeter layer of soil. In total, according to scientists, there are about 37.7 million pieces on the island with a total weight of 17.6 tons. And the garbage keeps coming, with at least 3,570 newcomers washing up on the northern beach alone every day—an accumulation a hundred thousand times more intense than anywhere else known to scientists. If these estimates are correct, the coast of the island can be called the world record holder for the density of plastic waste - and this is not even taking into account the debris on the coastal cliffs and at a depth of more than 10 cm.

Where does all this hellish stuff come from? About a third comes from the shores of South America, primarily Chile, a lot comes from China and Japan. In total, scientists managed to calculate 24 states on all continents (except Antarctica) that served as "importers" of garbage for Henderson. “On the whole, no country is to blame for the pollution of the island to a greater or lesser extent,” says Lavers. “It’s not just fishing boats or cruise ships that are sources of plastic – a lot of objects come from rain sewers and city beaches.”

As soon as the plastic is on the shore, it begins to shrink and decompose under the sultry ultraviolet light, with the participation of wind and waves. A solid object breaks up into hundreds and thousands of tiny wicks, which are then buried in the ground. And trying to clean up the island of all this is not an option, Lavers is convinced, especially given how difficult it is to get there and live there. The only option is to cut off the source itself, that is, the production of plastic.

C 19In the 1950s, when the era of plastics began, it increased by more than 180 times, and now the entire 17-ton mass of garbage on the island is equivalent to the volume of world plastic production in just two seconds .

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