Plastic pollution in the sea off Bali
British diver Rich Horner has filmed the level of plastic pollution in the sea off Bali.
Anyone who still believes plastic pollution is not a problem, that we do not need a latte levy to eliminate plastic-lined paper cups, that plastic is not a modern day curse or that we do not need to to eliminate plastic, watch these films and think again.
Surprise, surprise there weren’t many mantas at the cleaning station.
The dive took place in an area frequented by manta rays which come to get cleaned. The area lies off the coast of Nusa Penida — a small island with low population — there is a stretch of only 20 kilometres of water separating Nusa Penida from the island of Bali and its capital Denpasar.
The beaches of Bali are covered in plastic, the sea full of plastic.
The plastic breaks down into microscopic plastic, marine life cannot distinguish from plankton, eat the plankton.
The weight of plastic equals that of plankton.
Seabirds and sea turtles are eating larger pieces of plastic. They die, their stomachs full of plastic.
By 2050, the weight of plastic in the sea will equal the weight of fish.
Our first visible sign of the problem is litter dropped on the bus, in our streets, plastic covering our beaches, which finds it way into the sea.
