Nearly 250 billion plastic materials are floating in Mediterranean : Researchers

According to an estimate made by researchers, approximately 250 billion minute pieces of plastic are floating in the Mediterranean Sea.

The estimate comes from French and Belgian marine biologists who analysed water samples taken in July off France, northern Italy and Spain to a depth of 10-15 centimetres (four to six inches).

French Institute for Exploration of the Sea (Ifremer) made rough estimation of roughly 250 billion pieces of micro-debris in all the Mediterranean sea.

The figure derives from 4,371 minute pieces of plastic -- average weight 1.8 milligrams (0.00006 of an ounce)found in the samples.


The sampling only covered surface waters and is a preliminary evaluation. Further samples, off Gibraltar, Moroccow, Algeria, Tunisa, Sardinia and southern Italy, will be taken in 2011 to get a wider picture.

- AFP
Via: [Physorg]

Nearly 250 billion plastic materials are floating in Mediterranean : Researchers