A record-breaking dive in the world's deepest trench was marred by the discovery of plastic waste on the seafloor.
What happened?
American diver Victor Vescovo descended nearly seven miles to the deepest part of the ocean, the Mariana Trench in the Pacific. And while it was a record-breaking dive, the BBC reported it was also marked by a disappointing find: plastic pollution, including a bag and candy wrappers.
Though he also came across a few new sea creatures — the BBC reported that Vescovo's team believes it has discovered four new species of prawn-like crustaceans called amphipods — Green Matters called the ocean plastics "a rather disheartening discovery."
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Definitely 👍 Why is this discovery important?
This is not the first case linking plastics with the deepest parts of the ocean. For instance, one study estimated that up to 11 million metric tons (more than 12 million tons) of plastic pollution is sitting on the ocean floor.
All this ocean plastic kills an estimated 100,000 marine mammals per year, according to the World Wildlife Fund, which explains that these animals can eat or become entangled in the debris. For instance, one baby turtle found off the coast of Australia had a stomach full of plastic. Fortunately, the hatchling survived and was released back to sea after 18 months of rehab.
Plus, harmful chemicals can enter our food chain when we eat ocean-dwelling organisms that have mistakenly eaten plastic waste, according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature. This is dangerous, as several chemicals used in plastic production are known carcinogens that can cause developmental, reproductive, neurological, and immune disorders.
What's being done about ocean plastic?
Ocean plastic is just one manifestation of the plastic plague, and a number of companies are doing their part to help reduce plastic pollution. For instance, McDonald's banned all its plastic cutlery in the U.K., and major beer brands such as Coors Light are getting rid of plastic packaging rings.
Plus, many plastic alternatives are popping up, and scientists have discovered how to break down plastic using hungry wax worms and fungi.
You can do your part by taking steps to reduce your consumption of single-use plastics. For instance, ditch those single-use water bottles, invest in reusable grocery sacks, support brands with plastic-free packaging, and switch to bar shampoo and conditioner.
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