Tonnes of microplastics pollute seafloor

CANBERRA: Australia’s CSIRO has estimated there are 14 million tonnes of microplastics on the seafloor — twice the amount of plastic pollution estimated to be on the ocean’s surface.

Justine Barrett from CSIRO’s Oceans and Atmosphere who led the worldfirst study, published yesterday, said researchers collected and analysed samples in order to estimate the huge amount of seabed microplastic.

‘‘Plastic pollution that ends up in the ocean deteriorates and breaks down, ending up as microplastics,’’ Ms Barrett said. ‘‘The results show microplastics are . . . sinking to the ocean floor.’’

The samples were collected using a robotic submarine in depths to 3000m at sites up to 380km offshore from South Australia. — AAP