Deepest Parts of the Ocean at Risk for Litter Pollution: New Survey Reveals Marine Trash

Not even the deepest parts of the ocean are safe from litter, it seems. A major new survey of the seafloor has revealed a massive extent of trash located in the ocean depths, including bottles, plastic bags and fishing nets.

This latest effort to assess the seafloor involved 15 organizations across Europe. Scientists took nearly 600 samples from across the Atlantic and Arctic Oceans and in the Mediterranean Sea, from depths that ranged from 35 meters to 4.5 kilometers.

"We found that plastic was the most common litter item found on the seafloor, while trash associated with fishing activities (discarded fishing lines and nets) was particularly common on seamounts, banks, mounds and ocean ridges," said Christopher Pham, one of the researchers, in a news release. "The most dense accumulations of litter were found in deep underwater canyons."

In fact, the researchers found litter throughout the Mediterranean and all the way from the continental shelf of Europe to the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, located 2,000 kilometers from land. This litter can cause a host of issues; animals can mistake it for food, or even become trapped within it.

"This survey has shown that human litter is present in all marine habitats, from beaches to the most remote and deepest parts of the oceans," said Kerry Howell, one of the researchers, in a news release. "Most of the deep sea remains unexplored by humans and these are our first visits to many of these sites, but we were shocked to find that our rubbish has got there before us."

In all, plastic accounted for 41 percent of the litter observed, and derelict fishing gear accounted for 34 percent. Glass and metal, wood, paper/cardboard, clothing, pottery and unidentified materials were also seen over the course of the survey.

"The large quantity of litter reaching the deep ocean floor is a major issue worldwide," said Howell in a news release. "Our results highlight the extent of the problem and the need for action to prevent increasing accumulation of litter in marine environments."

The findings are published in the journal PLOS One.