Trindade is a volcanic island about 1,100 kilometers off the coast of Brazil. The site has been the subject of scientific research for years, but recently one of the teams discovered something extremely disturbing – plastic rocks.
The melted plastic that reaches the remote corner is part of the rocks in the area and is evidence of the impact of human pollution and how it may affect the geological cycles of our planet.
The scientific team from Espirito Santo conducted a series of chemical tests on the stones, called “plastiglomerates”. They consist of rock sediments, granules and other rock particles held together by plastic.
“The pollution comes mostly from fishing nets, which are very common litter in this area. The nets are pushed by the currents on the coast and as the temperatures rise, they melt. Plastic thus becomes an integral part of the local landscape,” explains geologist Fernanda Avelar Santos.
Why is Trindade Island important?
It is one of the few protected areas in the world where green turtles nest. It is protected by law in Brazil.
The only people who live on the volcanic island are military personnel from the Brazilian Navy, who have a base there. They take care of the habitats of the turtles.
The discovery of plastic rocks is extremely worrying and raises the question of what legacy we will leave on our planet.
“Pollution, the garbage that gets thrown into the oceans, becomes part of the geology of our planet. They will remain in the geological history of our planet,” explains Santos.
How much plastic is in our oceans?
Most of the plastic in the waters is microscopic.
It is estimated that the world’s oceans contain 51 trillion microscopic pieces of plastic. Their weight is 269,000 tons.
That’s as much as the weight of 1,345 blue whales.