Photo provided by the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) on Oct. 7, 2020 shows researchers collecting and analyzing samples from the seafloor to estimate the amount of microplastics. (CSIRO/Handout via Xinhua)
The Mediterranean Sea contains a higher density of microplastics than any large marine environment ever measured, said a report recently released by the World Wildlife Fund (WWF).
Some 229,000 tons of plastic are released into the Mediterranean every year, said the report published on Tuesday.
The main source of plastic input into the sea are coastal activities and inefficient waste management, which further worsens in the summer due to the increase in tourist flows and related recreational activities, it said.
The WWF report pointed out that in the Mediterranean Sea there is the highest concentration of microplastics ever measured in the depths of a marine environment: 1.9 million fragments per square meter.
Entitled "Plastic pollution in the oceans. Impacts on marine species, biodiversity and ecosystems," the report analyzes over 2,590 studies on plastic pollution in the oceans and provides a comprehensive analysis of its impacts on marine species and ecosystems.
The report was released ahead of the resumed fifth session of the United Nations Environment Assembly, which will be held online and in Nairobi, Kenya, from Feb. 28 to March 2.
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