A “plastic rock” discovered in Hawaii in 2014. Image credit: Patricia Corcoran.
Scientists have found a group of “rocks” constructed of plastic on a remote island off the coast of Brazil. A similar finding had actually currently been reported back in 2014 in Hawaii, as the melted plastic became linked with rocks. The researchers argue this is evidence of the humans growing influence over the Earths geological cycles.
Mis-popularized as a brand-new rock type, the “plastic rock” is not in fact a rock. Its formally called plastiglomerate and is a brand-new kind of conglomerate made partially from plastic. They have comparable textural qualities to an actual rock, explained for the very first time in 2014 in Hawaii– formed from melting plastic in fires lit by people.
The plastic rocks were found along the beach. They form as plastic particles cleaned ashore breaks down and mixes with the islands volcanic rocks. The particles mainly originates from fishing webs, a typical kind of particles on the island, Fernanda Avelar Santos, among the researchers behind the findings from the Federal University of Parana, informed Reuters.
Now, scientists have actually reported in a short article for Reuters the discovery of these plastic rocks on Trindade, an island 1,1140 kilometers from the coast of Brazil. The island is one of the most essential conservation areas for the threatened green turtle (Chelonia mydas). The only inhabitants aside from the turtles are members of the Brazilian navy.
” We talk so much about the Anthropocene, and this is it,” Santos stated describing a proposed geological epoch defined by human beings impact on the worlds geology and ecosystems. “The contamination, the trash in the sea and the plastic dumped incorrectly in the oceans is ending up being geological material preserved in the earths geological records.”
The growing plastic problem
Millions of animals are killed by plastics every year, with 700 types known to have actually been impacted by plastics. Microplastics have actually been found in more than 100 species that human beings then consume.
The research study was published in the journal Marine Pollution Bulletin.
Researchers have discovered a group of “rocks” made out of plastic on a remote island off the coast of Brazil. Mis-popularized as a new rock type, the “plastic rock” is not actually a rock. Many plastic ends up in garbage dumps and a little amount is recycled, but about eight million heaps of plastic goes into the sea every year. Millions of animals are killed by plastics every year, with 700 types understood to have actually been impacted by plastics. Previous studies have actually revealed that burned plastic can have a high concentration of possibly harmful elements, such as lead, derived from the pigments used to color the plastic.
Most plastic ends up in landfills and a small amount is recycled, but about eight million heaps of plastic goes into the sea every year. Oceanic currents then disperse the plastic worldwide.
The scientists in Brazil do not know at this moment how significant the plastic rocks may be to the environment. However, previous studies have revealed that burned plastic can have a high concentration of possibly poisonous aspects, such as lead, stemmed from the pigments used to color the plastic. This could be really problem for the green turtles.