Garbage overflow to the deepest point of the Mediterranean Sea

The scientists discovered plastic, glass, metal and paper waste at the bottom of the Calypso Deep, a 5,112m deep low -lying area in the Mediterranean Ionian Sea, from the Peloponnese coast, Greece, about 60 km to the west. Calypso Deep is also the deepest point of the Mediterranean Sea, Independent On 11/3 reported.

According to the new research, published in the magazine Marine Pollution Bulletinplastic accounts for nearly 90% of the waste. The density of waste in Calagpso Deep is 26,715 pieces of garbage per km2, among the highest density recorded in deep marine environments. The team said the waste could be taken to this low -lying area or being directly poured down by boats.

“Some light waste like plastic originating from the coast, then drifted to Calypso Deep. Some plastic items, such as bags, drifted right above the bottom until being buried in part or whole, or decomposed into smaller pieces. We also find evidence of boats dropping down bags filled with garbage,” said the Earth Science Department of the University of Barcelona.

As a “closed low -lying area” with weak beaches, Calypso Deep has favorable conditions for the waste to accumulate. “Unfortunately, mentioning the Mediterranean, it will not be wrong to say that ‘there is no clean inch’. The scuba diving videos show that the bottom of the Calypso Deep is filled with waste created by humans, the density of waste belonging to the highest group ever recorded in the deep marine environment,” Canals said.

To down to a depth of thousands of meters, the research team deployed an advanced submarine called Limited Factor. The ship was manufactured by My Triton Submarines, carrying two passengers down the deepest groove, moving slowly at a speed of about 1.8 km/h and taking high quality images.

At Calypso Deep, Limited Factor moves about 650 m in a straight line near the bottom in 43 minutes. The diving helps the research team calculate the density of waste. In some places, they find different types of interactions between waste and marine life. For example, animals can eat garbage and use garbage as a substrate to grow, hide or lay eggs.

The new research shows that the deep sea is the “last tank” of pollution and the world needs to pay more attention to conservation of marine ecosystems. “The Mediterranean is a closed sea, surrounded by humans, large traffic traffic and bustling fishing activities. Evidence from our research will shake global efforts to reduce waste discharge, especially plastic and in the Mediterranean,” Canals said.