Plastics found in all dead dolphins, seals and whales tested in British waters

Researchers from the University of Exeter and Plymouth Marine Laboratory find microplastics in them all examined animals

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Researchers from the University of Exeter and Plymouth Marine Laboratory, supported by Greenpeace Research Laboratories, examined 50 animals from 10 species of dolphins, seals and whales – and found microplastics (less than 5mm) in them all.

Reacting to the findings of the report, Louise Edge, head of Greenpeace UK’s ocean plastics campaign, said: “It is ominous that every single marine mammal tested was found to have microplastics in their digestive system, and it shows the scale of plastic pollution in our seas.
“This is yet more evidence that the government and big businesses need to focus their efforts on drastically reducing the use and waste of plastics, to stem the flow of plastic pollution into our rivers and oceans and into the mouths of marine wildlife.”

ENDS

To contact the Greenpeace UK press office please email press.uk@greenpeace.org or for international media enquiries please contact capucine.dayen@greenpeace.org.

The full report, entitled Microplastics in marine mammals stranded around the British coast: ubiquitous but transitory, is available here.

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