The UK is set to ban all single-use plastic in a bid to reduce the pollution being spread by these cutlery items. Watch this video to know more.

WION Climate Tracker: UK government eyes ban on single-use plastic permanently soon

As many as 14 million tonnes of plastic pieces less than 5 mm wide are likely present at the bottom of the oceans, a new research estimated.

CSIRO, Australian government's science agency, collected and analysed cores of the ocean floor taken at six remote regions nearly 300 km off the nation's southern coast in the Great Australian Bight, reported The Guardian.&nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/plastic-pollution-flowing-into-oceans-to-triple-by-2040-study-315624">Plastic pollution flowing into oceans to triple by 2040: Study</a>

Researchers studied 51 samples and concluded that it is likely that there is 30 times as much plastic at the bottom of the seven oceans as is present at the surface. &nbsp;

They also found that each gram of ocean's sediment contained about 1.26 microplastic pieces on an average.&nbsp;

Microplastics have a diameter of 5 mm or less and are generally formed after they broke away from bigger plastic items.&nbsp;

Dr Denise Hardesty, CSIRO's principal research scientist and study's co-author said that finding these microplastics in such a remote site suggests the "ubiquity of plastics, no matter where you are in the world".

"This means it's throughout the water column. This gives us pause for thought about the world we live in and the impact of our consumer habits on what’s considered a most pristine place," Hardesty said.

"We need to make sure the big blue is not a big trash pit. This is more evidence that we need to stop this at the source." 
&nbsp;

As many as 14 million tonnes of plastic pieces less than 5 mm wide are likely present at the bottom of the oceans, a new research estimated. CSIRO, Australian government's science agency, collected and analysed cores of the ocean floor taken at six remote regions nearly 300 km off the nation's southern coast in the Great Australian Bight, reported The Guardian.

As many as 14 million tonnes of plastic pieces less than 5 mm wide are likely present at the bottom of the oceans, a new research estimated. CSIRO, Australian government's science agency, collected and analysed cores of the ocean floor taken at six remote regions nearly 300 km off the nation's southern coast in the Great Australian Bight, reported The Guardian. Also read | Plastic pollution flowing into oceans to triple by 2040: Study Researchers studied 51 samples and concluded that it is likely that there is 30 times as much plastic at the bottom of the seven oceans as is present at the surface. They also found that each gram of ocean's sediment contained about 1.26 microplastic pieces on an average. Microplastics have a diameter of 5 mm or less and are generally formed after they broke away from bigger plastic items. Dr Denise Hardesty, CSIRO's principal research scientist and study's co-author said that finding these microplastics in such a remote site suggests the "ubiquity of plastics, no matter where you are in the world". "This means it's throughout the water column. This gives us pause for thought about the world we live in and the impact of our consumer habits on what’s considered a most pristine place," Hardesty said. "We need to make sure the big blue is not a big trash pit. This is more evidence that we need to stop this at the source."

Plastics weighing 14 million tonnes likely present at bottom of oceans: Study

Each year around 12 million tons of plastic waste is dumped into the world's oceans, polluting the water, killing wildlife and creating microplastics that enter the food chain.

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WION Climate Tracker: UK government eyes ban on single-use plastic permanently soon

Plastics weighing 14 million tonnes likely present at bottom of oceans: Study

The Battle Against Ocean Plastic