Once believed untouched, the Mariana Trench has been found polluted with plastic,
including a discarded bag at the ocean’s deepest known point—evidence of how far human waste travels.
Life Under Threat
Despite extreme conditions, the trench supports corals and deep-sea species.
Research shows about 17% of deep-sea plastic interacts with marine life through
entanglement or ingestion, putting fragile ecosystems at risk.
Sources of the Pollution
Most waste comes from everyday use.
Nearly 89% of plastic found is single-use, while about 80% enters the ocean from land via rivers.
Ships and abandoned fishing gear add significantly to the problem.
A Call to Act
Plastic breaking down into microplastics threatens even the deepest ecosystems.
The discovery highlights the urgent need to reduce single-use plastics,
strengthen waste management, and act collectively to protect the oceans’ future.