90 Percent Of Seabirds Globally Have Ingested Plastic

A new study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS) found that plastic trash is found in 90 percent of sea birds, with a steadily increasing rate globally. Researchers found that seabirds living in South Africa, South America and southern parts of Australia ingested the most plastic trash when compared to those in other areas. 

They are predicting that by 2050, close to 99 percent of seabirds will have eaten plastic from the oceans.

"That was shocking," says Chris Wilcox, a research scientist with Australia's Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization and lead author of the study, via National Geographic. "Essentially, the number of species and number of individuals within species that you find plastic in is going up fairly rapidly by a couple percent every year."

Previous studies have revealed how plastic is increasingly found in seabirds' stomachs. In fact, some eat so much that little room is left for their gut to absorb nutrients from food.

In this recent study, researchers found that out of 186 species, 59 percent had plastic debris in their organs.

In 1960, plastic was found in the stomach of less than 5 percent of individual seabirds. However, by 2010, it had risen to almost above 80 percent.

Related Articles

Burning Trash Worsens Air Pollution Worldwide

For more great science stories and general news, please visit our sister site, Headlines and Global News (HNGN).