Get all your news in one place.
100's of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Environment
Helena Horton and Damian Carrington

More than 170tn plastic particles afloat in oceans, say scientists

Vultures look for food among rubbish, including plastic waste, strewn on a beach near the Costa del Este neighbourhood in Panama City.
Vultures scavenge for food among rubbish, including plastic waste, strewn on a beach near the Costa del Este neighbourhood of Panama City. Photograph: Luis Acosta/AFP/Getty

An unprecedented rise in plastic pollution has been uncovered by scientists, who have calculated that more than 170tn plastic particles are afloat in the oceans.

They have called for a reduction in the production of plastics, warning that “cleanup is futile” if they continue to be pumped into the environment at the current rate.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100's of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.