A new study has shed light on the true impact of plastic on the planet as it was revealed that millions of tonnes of it are lying at the bottom of the ocean.
The true devilish nature of plastic is not a new concept, and yet, we humans continue to pump out 350 million metric tons of plastic waste per year. That waste breaks down over time to form microplastics, which are found in everything from bottled water to human placenta.
How much plastic is at the bottom of the ocean?
In new research conducted by Australia’s national science agency, CSIRO, Dr. Denise Hardest and her team estimated that 11 million tonnes of plastic pollution is sitting on the ocean floor.
“We know that millions of tonnes of plastic waste enter our oceans every year but what we didn’t know is how much of this pollution ends up on our ocean floor,” Dr Hardesty said. “We discovered that the ocean floor has become a resting place, or reservoir, for most plastic pollution, with between 3 to 11 million tonnes of plastic estimated to be sinking to the ocean floor.”
“While there has been a previous estimate of microplastics on the seafloor, this research looks at larger items, from nets and cups to plastic bags and everything in between.”
Alice Zhu, a PhD Candidate from the University of Toronto, further explained how plastic on the surface of the water paints a misleading picture of plastic tyranny. In fact, it could be 100 times more than first expected.
She said: “The ocean surface is a temporary resting place of plastic so it is expected that if we can stop plastic entering our oceans, the amount would be reduced. However, our research found that plastic will continue to end up in the deep ocean, which becomes a permanent resting place or sink for marine plastic pollution.”
What does this mean?
Though the new researcher painted a pretty dire picture of our oceans, the scientists said it forms a solid basis for further exploration. CSIRO earlier pledged to end plastic waste through the way we make, use, recycle, and dispose of the material.
“These findings help to fill a longstanding knowledge gap on the behavior of plastic in the marine environment,” Zhu added. “Understanding the driving forces behind the transport and accumulation of plastic in the deep ocean will help to inform source reduction and environmental remediation efforts, thereby reducing the risks that plastic pollution may pose to marine life.”
Their findings were recently published in the Deep Sea Research Part I: Oceanographic Research Papers.
