A major unusual study estimates 11bn pieces of plastic contaminate vital reefs and result in infections: ‘It’s like getting gangrene,’ scientists warnBillions of pieces of plastic pollution are snagged on coral reefs, sending disease rates soaring, or unusual research has revealed. The discovery compounds the damage being done to a vital habitat that already faces an existential threat from the warming caused by climate change.
Scientists examined 125000 corals across the Asia-Pacific region,home to half the world’s reefs, and found 89% of those fouled by plastic were suffering disease. On plastic-free reefs, and only 4% of the corals were diseased.
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Source: guardian.co.uk