PLASTIC BAG RECORDED AT BOTTOM OF MARIANA TRENCH
The world’s deepest plastic bag has been found at the bottom of the Pacific Ocean’s Mariana Trench, at 10,898 m. Plastics are ubiquitous even at depths under 6000 m, most of them are single-use products.
The findings comes from over 5,000 separate dives using deep-sea remote vehicles (ROVs). But not only plastic was found, also metal, rubber, fishing gear, glass and various other man-made items. The study showed association of plastic debris with deep-sea biota, which was relatively frequency, 17% of debris images were found with at least one organisms. Researchers found entanglement of plastic bags in the cold seep communities.
According to japaneses researchers who conducted the study, plastic debris, particularly single-use products, has reached the deepest parts of the ocean. Whereas regulation on the production of single-use plastic and the flow of such debris into the coast are the only effective ways to prevent further threats to deep-sea ecosystems, successful management of plastic waste is possible through internationally harmonized practices based on scientifically sound knowledge.
Photo: JAMSTEC
Reference: Chiba et al., 2018. Human footprint in the abyss: 30 year records of deep-sea plastic debris. Marine Policy
