Plastic Pollution and it’s effects on Seabirds

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Images have circulated online of the corpse of a seabird with plastic fragments lodged inside it’s stomach, feathers and skeleton. The photo was taken on the Midway Atoll in the Pacific Ocean, and has made the albatross a symbol of the problem of plastic pollution. For many people, this is their introduction to the problem of plastic pollution and a stark reminder that it is purely down to human development. For the last decade, scientists and conservationists have been investigating and recording the environmental impact of plastic debris on seabirds. The conclusion is that by 2050, 99% of seabirds will have plastic in their stomachs. Seabirds fish and forage for food. They pick up small pieces of plastic that float on the ocean, and bring it back to feed their young. Many starve because the plastic debris fills their stomachs and does not digest and they have less space for nutrient-rich foods. Every 60 seconds, the equivalent of a rubbish truck full of plastic is emptied into the world’s oceans. We need to take decisive action now to make a difference for the future of our planet and the species that we share it with.