Vivid Underwater Video Shows Exactly What Happens to Our Plastic Trash When We’re Done With It (VIDEO)

The impact plastic trash has on the planet, and especially on the oceans, is getting more and more publicity. We can finally say that the issue of plastic pollution is now talked about more than ever thanks to programs like Blue Planet II.

Every year, at least 8 million tons of plastic enter the oceans. If you have ever wondered what that accumulation of thrash actually is like – look no further. In the waters off Manta Point in Bali, Rich Horner used underwater video equipment to film an aquatic scene that should be required viewing. This is where all our plastic trash ends up.

“The ocean currents brought us in a lovely gift of a slick of jellyfish, plankton, leaves, branches, fronds, sticks,  etc…. Oh, and some plastic,” the diver wrote. “Some plastic bags, plastic bottles, plastic cups, plastic sheets, plastic buckets, plastic sachets, plastic straws, plastic baskets, plastic bags, more plastic bags, plastic, plastic, so much plastic! Surprise, surprise, there weren’t many Mantas there at the cleaning station today… They mostly decided not to bother.”

The plastic trash was brought to Manta Point by the ocean currents, which then moved it to other places. As the author of the video pointed out, a diver who visited the spot the following day reported seeing no plastic at all, but that does mean that it disappeared – it simply continued its journey “off into the Indian Ocean, to slowly break up into smaller and smaller pieces, into microplastics. But not going away.”

If you are as heartbroken by this video as we are, start making a change today. To find out what you can do to help the planet by limiting your use of plastics, check out One Green Planet’s#CrushPlastic campaign!

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