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File photo Shutterstock/Rich Carey
The Daily PollPoll: Have you made efforts to use less plastic in your daily life?
Plastic levels in the Atlantic Ocean are likely to be much higher than previous estimates suggested.
LEVELS OF PLASTIC in the Atlantic Ocean are “much higher” than previously estimated as a result of plastic debris hidden beneath the ocean’s surface.
A study published by the journal Nature Communication has found that there are between 12 and 21 million tonnes of microplastic suspended in the top 200 metres of the Atlantic Ocean alone.
If the samples taken from this section of the ocean are representative of the concentration of plastics at other depths of the Atlantic, it means there are an additional 178 million tonnes of plastic in the ocean compared to previous estimates – 10 times more than previously thought.
Many people have made efforts to use less plastic items, in particular single-use plastic, in recent years due to its environmental impact.
We want to know: Have you made efforts to use less plastic in your daily life?
Poll Results:
Yes and I've succeeded (5451)
Yes but I've failed (1756)
No but I plan to (715)
No and I won't (602)
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