Two million tonnes of plastic is floating on the surface of the oceans - EIGHT TIMES worse than...
As much as two million tonnes of plastic is floating on the surface of our oceans eight times more than was previously thought, according to new research. The findings are the result of a five-year research project and dwarf earlier estimates that the figure was around 250,000 tonnes. Writing in the scientific journal Nature Geoscience, researchers said their calculations are based on a computer model of the world's oceans and estimates of plastic rubbish falling in the sea. The new model estimates that, in 2020, there were 3.2 million tonnes of plastic junk in the sea overall, and the amount entering it is increasing by around 4 per cent each year. So unless it is halted, the total amount of plastic in our oceans will double within 20 years to around 6.4 million tonnes. While still a staggering number, the amount of plastic is far less than a previous estimate, made in 2014, of 150 million tonnes. The research also determined that less plastic is falling into seas than previously thought; half a million tonnes each year, compared with previous estimates of 4 million to 12 million. A report by the Ellen MacArthur foundation, based on research in 2015, suggested that by 2050, there will be more plastic in the world's sea than fish, by weight. The MacArthur report calculated there will be 850-950 million tonnes of ocean plastic, compared to total fish stocks of 812-899 million tonnes. However, Dr Erik van Sebille, associate professor at the University of Utrecht, in the Netherlands and co-author of the new study, told the Daily Mail: 'Quotes that there will be more plastic than fish in the ocean by 2050, that's not going to happen. 'But there will still be a huge amount of plastic in the ocean, 3.2 million tonnes is a ridiculously high amount. It's not something we should be proud of.' The Daily Mail has long highlighted the threats of plastic pollution with its Turn the Tide on Plastic campaign. In addition to the 3.2million tonnes of plastic floating in the sea, there is an additional 6 million tonnes resting on the ocean floor, the study said. Dr Kandoorp told the Daily Mail: 'I would indeed say it is unlikely there will be more plastic than fish in the ocean, at least when the fish stocks don't keep decreasing drastically. 'With a business as usual scenario we might indeed have approximately 6 million tonnes of plastic in the seawater. 'I don't know if the statement includes plastics on the sea floor? We estimate this to be roughly 6 million tonnes in 2020. 'I'm not sure about the amount on the sea floor in 2040. I would say it is very unlikely both numbers together would exceed 20 million tonnes. 'This would be roughly 2.5 per cent of the fish stock, which is still way too much plastic of course, but hopefully not more than the amount of fish!'