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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Environment
Damian Carrington Environment editor

Whales ingest millions of microplastic particles a day, study finds

Close-up view of a humpback whale calf as it slowly ascends to the surface to breathe.
A humpback whale calf: filter-feeding cetaceans consume million of microplastic particles a day. Photograph: By Wildestanimal/Getty Images

Filter-feeding whales are consuming millions of particles of microplastic pollution a day, according to a study, making them the largest consumers of plastic waste on the planet.

The central estimate for blue whales was 10m pieces a day, meaning more than 1bn pieces could be ingested over a three- to four-month feeding season. The weight of plastic consumed over the season was estimated at between 230kg and 4 tonnes.

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