Dumping ground at a depth of over 5,000m
Plastic bags found at the deepest point of the Mediterranean Sea: how the deep sea is turning into a dumping ground.
Plastic pollution detected in the Calypso Deep
The submarine “Limiting Factor” goes on a dive and finds: Garbage. Plastic bottles, plastic bags, cans, glass bottles, all scattered across the seabed. The images from the deep look like scenes from a dystopian film – in fact, the footage comes from the Calypso Deep in the Ionian Sea, the deepest point in the Mediterranean, 5,122 meters below the surface.
A group of researchers investigated the seabed and found a garbage dump instead of untouched nature. The findings show the enormous threat to the unique ecosystems, which are otherwise untouched by humans. In addition to the depth of the finds, the concentration of waste is also alarming.
The research group published their findings in the Marine Pollution Bulletin – and warns of the urgency of the problem.
End station for plastic
The majority of the waste apparently originates from the southern Mediterranean and was transported to the depths by currents, eddies, and sediment movements. In individual cases, accumulations and traces in the sediment even indicate targeted waste disposal by ships. The Calypso Deep acts like a collection point: a closed sea trench with only very weak currents, in which even light material is permanently deposited at the bottom.
The waste found consists of 88% plastic, plus glass, metal, and paper. Large quantities of plastic bottles, plastic bags, hard plastic food containers, plastic cups, Tetra Paks and glass bottles were found.
The deep sea is considered the final destination for many plastics that sink for years. Circulation or natural degradation of this waste is hardly possible at these depths.
Urgent need for action
Even at first glance, you can see that the accumulations of garbage significantly alter the seabed at this depth. A depth at which only individual organisms survive. So far, no interactions between the rare life forms in the deep sea and the garbage have been detected, as can be seen in other places.
The findings show the urgency of taking action and curbing the littering of the oceans. This is the only way to protect marine habitats and the unique depths of the oceans. The research team emphasizes that both political and social action is urgently needed to reduce litter.
Everwave: cleanup location in Albania
Germany also has a responsibility. In addition to waste production, Germany still exports some of its waste to other countries – to Southeast Asia and Eastern European countries, including Albania. This is serious, as Albania has no functioning waste system in many areas and the waste ends up in illegal landfills or directly in the environment.
everwave is working against pollution in Albania – the project site is located in the north of Albania, in Kukës on the Drin. The Drin flows into the Mediterranean: using a stationary waste collection boat, everwave collects the waste from the Drin before it is washed further into the Mediterranean. Specially installed zero-waste centers are used to sort the collected waste on site and prepare it for reuse. This prevents the waste site at a depth of 5,122 m from expanding any further.
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