9 in 10 seabirds swallow ocean plastic

In 1960, plastic was found in the stomach of less than five percent of individual birds.

In 1960, plastic was found in the stomach of less than five percent of individual birds.

Published Sep 1, 2015

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London - Around 90 percent of seabirds have swallowed plastic that has been dumped in the ocean, according to scientists.

And they warn that at current rates of pollution, by 2050 the figure could be 99 percent.

Plastic poses several threats to wildlife that consume it. It can block their guts – reducing the amount of food they can eat, or in the worst case choking them to death – or it can poison their internal organs.

Researchers looked at a range of studies carried out on 186 species – 56 percent of all seabirds – between 1962 and 2012.

In 1960, plastic was found in the stomach of less than five percent of individual birds. This rose to 80 percent by 2010.

There are around 580 000 pieces of plastic, from carrier bags and packaging, per square kilometre of sea. And the amount we produce doubles every 11 years – staggeringly, between 2015 and 2026 as much plastic will be produced as has been made since it was first created.

The authors write: “Standardising the data for time and species, we estimate the ingestion rate would reach 90 percent of individuals if these studies were conducted today.”

The Daily Mail has led a campaign to cut the number of plastic bags handed out by supermarkets to limit damage to the environment, and a 5p charge on plastic carrier bags will be introduced on October 1.

Daily Mail

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