How much plastic is estimated to be in the oceans and where it may be
Debris reaching the marine environment accumulates in different “storage compartments,” including coastal beaches, mangroves, wetlands and deltas, the water column and the sea floor. In the water column, debris can be found floating at the surface as well as submerged in the deepest waters. Debris is also present on the seabed and in the sediment from the shallow coast to the floor of abyssal plains. In addition, marine organisms can ingest debris of various sizes, turning biota into another “storage compartment” for accumulation of debris within the marine environment.
Year: 2018
From collection: Marine Litter Vital Graphics
Cartographer: Maphoto/Riccardo Pravettoni