The volume of plastic in the world's oceans could triple by 2040 - study

This was reported by Reuters, citing a study by the American organisation 5 Gyres Institute.

According to the study, about 171 trillion plastic particles were floating in the oceans by 2019. Scientists predict that marine pollution by plastic could increase 2.6 times by 2040.

We need a strong legally binding UN global agreement on plastic pollution that will stop the problem at the source, " said Markus Eriksen, co-founder of 5 Gyres Institute.

It should be noted that the study looked at surface plastic pollution data from 11,777 ocean stations in six major marine regions between 1979 and 2019.

Microplastics are particularly dangerous to the oceans, as they not only pollute the water but also damage the internal organs of marine animals that perceive plastic as food.