You may have heard the term ghost nets and wondered what it means. Ghost nets are fishing nets that have either been lost or discarded in the ocean. They include traditional fishing nets, gill nets, and lobster and crab pots. These nets, primarily made of plastic material, are left drifting in the water where they become tangled on reefs or entrap marine life in the open water. There are many types of marine life that are affected by this type of floating marine debris. Dolphins, sharks, sea turtles, dugongs, seabirds, fish, crocodiles, crabs, and other creatures can become entangled in the ne ..read more

Ghost nets aren’t supernatural, but they are legitimately scary. A ghost net is a fishing net that’s been lost or abandoned in the ocean. They are one particularly egregious part of the global ghost fishing problem, which includes fishing gear abandoned in the water. Any net or line left in the ocean can pose a threat to marine life. Just because a net is no longer used by fishers doesn’t mean it stops working. These nets continue to trap everything in their path, presenting a major problem for the health of our oceans and marine life. The post Our oceans are haunted by ghost nets: Why that’s ..read more

Plastic pollution is ubiquitous today, with microplastic particles from disposable goods found in natural environments throughout the globe, including Antarctica. But how those particles move through and accumulate in the environment is poorly understood. Now a Princeton University study has revealed the mechanism by which microplastics, like Styrofoam, and particulate pollutants are carried long distances through soil and other porous media, with implications for preventing the spread and accumulation of contaminants in food and water sources. The study, published in Science Advances on Novem ..read more

Helen Lowman looks at litter a lot. It’s her job. But while walking her dog in Westport, Conn., in March, she noticed an alarming trend. First she passed some dirty wipes on the ground. Then there were gloves. And finally a mask. Four months later, she said the litter of personal protective gear has only gotten worse. As more people wear masks to prevent the spread of the coronavirus, more personal protective equipment, or P.P.E., has been found as litter around the world. The post Your Used Mask Needs to Make It to the Trash Can appeared first on Ways to Fight Plastic Pollution ..read more