PLOS ONE STUDY: Plastic debris building up in the Mediterranean Sea

Large quantities of plastic debris are building up in the Mediterranean Sea, according to a study published in the journal PLOS ONE.

The survey finds that around one thousand tonnes of plastic floating on the surface, mainly fragments of bottles, bags and wrappings.

"These very small plastic fragments lend themselves to being swallowed by marine species, potentially releasing chemicals into the gut from the plastics," Dr Morritt, of the School of Biological Sciences, told the BBC in London.

The Mediterranean Sea's biological richness and economic importance means plastic pollution is particularly hazardous.

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

Very tiny pieces of plastic have also been found in oysters and mussels grown on the coasts of northern Europe.

— © FAMAGUSTA GAZETTE CYPRUS