9 hours agoShareSaveHelen BriggsBBC environment correspondentShareSaveGetty ImagesThe study examined only plastics found inside the stomachs of animals. It did not assess chemical impacts or entanglement, meaning the true scale of harm is likely to be higher.Hundreds of marine species have been found with plastic in their bodies. Birds often swallow plastic fragments, and turtles mistake plastic bags for jellyfish. Until now, however, scientists lacked precise data on how much plastic is lethal for animals of different sizes.Dr Murphy added: “To effectively address plastic pollution, the science is clear. We need to reduce the amount of plastic we produce, improve collection and recycling, and clean up what’s already out there.”The research is published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
