Did You Know…? 

Did You Know…? 

Did you know that plastic pollution has been found at the bottom of the deepest part of the world’s ocean?  

By reviewing a database of photos and videos taken from more than 5,000 dives over 30 years, scientists discovered significant evidence of marine debris in the Mariana Trench—the deepest marine environment on the planet, which is hundreds of miles from the closest land mass (Guam).  

The Mariana Trench supports diverse species, including coral, jellyfish, and octopus. The scientists’ review of the photos and videos found that nearly 20 percent of the images of plastic logged in the database showed interactions of some kind with marine life, like animals becoming entangled in the debris. 

How does a plastic bag (pictured in the photo above) from 200 miles away become marine debris in the Mariana Trench? Most likely it was carried by wind or rain into storm drains, eventually reaching the ocean and carried by currents.  

This is why there is a large body of work around the world to identify which debris came from where, and discussions on equitable methods for assigning cleanup responsibilities.