70% Of Plastic Ends Up In The Sea!
Some of these long-lasting plastics end up in the stomachs of marine birds and animals, and their young, including sea-turtles and black-footed Albatross. Besides the particles’ danger to wildlife, on the microscopic level the floating debris can absorb organic pollutants from seawater. Aside from toxic effects, when ingested, some of these are mistaken by the endocrine system as estradiol, causing hormone disruption in the affected animal. These toxin-containing plastic pieces are also eaten by jellyfish, which are then eaten by larger fish. Many of these fish are then consumed by humans, resulting in their ingestion of toxic chemicals. Marine plastics also facilitate the spread of invasive species that attach to floating plastic in one region and drift long distances to colonize other ecosystems.
