About a thousand tons of plastic floating on the surface of the Mediterranean Sea – scientists – UNIAN

REUTERS

About a thousand tons of plastic floating on the surface of the sea – mostly fragments of bottles, packages and packages, reports BBC Russian Service referring to study, the results of MDM published in PLOS ONE.

Given the biological diversity and the economic importance of the Mediterranean, the effects of pollution are particularly dangerous, say Spanish scientists.

Plastic fragments found in the stomachs of birds, fish, turtles and whales.

The tiny pieces of plastic were also found in oysters and mussels on the coast of northern Europe.

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“We see the Mediterranean Sea as a zone in which accumulated a huge amount of plastic waste,” – says Kosar Address from the University of Cadiz in Spain.

“Marine pollution by plastic only half a century after the widespread use of this material has become a problem of global scale, requires the development of strategies to combat this problem,” – says Kosar.

Plastic accumulates in the Mediterranean Sea – as well as in oceanic gyres flow in the Indian Ocean, the North Atlantic, North Pacific, South Atlantic and the South Pacific.

A large number of plastic has also been found and in other seas, including the Bay of Bengal, the South China Sea, the Barents Sea, the Arctic Ocean.

Commenting on the findings, Dr. David Morritt of Londoskogo University explained that scientists are particularly concerned with tiny pieces of plastic (less than five millimeters in length), known as mikroplastik.

According to the Spanish explorer, falls into this category and 80% of plastic in the Mediterranean.

“These are very small plastic particles are ingested by marine life and can release chemicals “- explains Morritt.

” Plastic does not decompose in the environment – we need a more careful approach to recycling, recycle and reduce the use of “.

Mediterranean is less than 1% of the world’s oceans, but it is important from an economic and environmental point of view.

It lives from four to 18% of all marine species; In addition, it provides income from tourism and fishing for the Mediterranean countries.

“Given the biological value and concentration of economic activities in the Mediterranean Sea, the effect of plastic pollution for the life of animals, fish, and people can be particularly revealing in this zone “- says Andres Kosar.

Earlier UNIAN reported that, according to scientists in the world ocean swims about 269,000 tons of plastic.