Scientists uncovered a new threat- plastic rocks, a troubling result of human-induced plastic pollution impacting both marine life and human health
Plastic rocks are unique deposits formed by the compression of rock and discarded plastic waste
Geologist Patricia Corcoran first discovered it as “plastiglomerate," in Hawaii nearly a decade ago, as the emerging issue of plastic-infused rocks
These rocks were discovered across the world including India, Brazil, China, United Kingdom, Spanish Curry Island, Bangladesh, Peru, Portugal, Italy, and Japan
About 22-48 million metric tonnes of plastic waste are discarded annually by humans, exacerbating the pollution crisis
Ocean waves bring plastics, including oil-spill residues, into contact with sands, which attach to rocks, undergo partial evaporation, and solidify, forming plastic rocks
Chemical bonding between plastic and rock is formed by molten plastic, rock clasts, sand grains, shells, coral, and wood debris
Plastic rocks disrupt microbial communities, impacting local ecological systems and raise concerns about the release of microplastics into the environment