Plastics found in the guts of UK’s seals, dolphins and whales
In a new study published in the journal Scientific Reports, the researchers from the University of Exeter and Plymouth Marine Laboratory (PML) examined 50 carcasses.
The carcasses, which came from 10 species of seals, dolphins and whales, all contained microplastics – plastic particles smaller than 5mm – in their digestive systems.
The vast majority of the particles (84%) which the researchers discovered were synthetic fibres, originating from clothes, fishing nets and toothbrushes – while the rest were fragments from food packaging and plastic bottles.
