Sunday, September 9, 2012

How plastic transmits pollution to birds - the story of nurdles.

Plastic resin pellets ("nurdles" - the preproduction form of plastic resin that's shipped to manufacturers) absorb and concentrate PCB and other toxins to a million times their ambient level in the water; the pellets resemble plankton and are ingested by birds. See at 6:27


How BIG is the problem?
In the Pacific, a giant rotating swirling mass of tiny plastic particles is known as
"the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. The Eastern Garbage Patch floats between Hawaii and California; scientists estimate its size as two times bigger than Texas "
http://science.howstuffworks.com/environmental/earth/oceanography/great-pacific-garbage-patch.htm

Thee pictures will astound you.


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