D.Alcorn M ost man-made debris can create aesthetic or environmental problems. Since most plastic tends to float, currents transport it to shore. Even in remote areas like Antarctica researchers are now finding plastic bottles, bags, and sheeting washed ashore. But plastic in our waterways is more than a litter problem. M arine animals sometimes confuse plastic items for real food.
Ingested plastics can cause internal injury, intestinal blockage, or starvation.
Seabirds are known to eat anything from small plastic pieces to plastic lighters and bottle caps. Some birds even feed plastic debris to their young. Sea turtles often mistake bags and sheeting for jellyfish, a favorite prey item. Even the great whales are victims - several have been found dead with plastic bags and sheeting in their stomachs. And ingesting plastic is not the only problem.